GOOD TIMES 
FOR GIRLS 

BY 

MARY E. MOXCEY 






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OTHER BOOKS BY MISS MOXCEY 

GIRLHOOD AND CHARACTER 
LEADERSHIP OF GIRLS’ ACTIVITIES 
PHYSICAL HEALTH AND RECREATION FOR GIRLS 



GOOD TIMES 
FOR GIRLS 


BY , 

MARY E. MOXCEY 

H 


THE METHODIST BOOK CONCERN 

NEW YORK CINCINNATI 


NASHVILLE 


SMITH & LAMAR 

DALLAS 


RICHMOND 




Copyright, 1920, by 
MARY E. MOXCEY 


§)CI,A604289 


NOV 20 1920 


/ 


CONTENTS 

PAGE 


Introduction. 7 

I Planning the Party. 9 

II Getting Acquainted. 13 

III When All Are to Take Part. 17 

IV When Some Entertain the Others. 32 

V Entertainments Requiring Some Preparation. . 45 

VI Special-Feature Programs. 50 

VII Service Sgcials. 64 

VIII Sharing Sunday Afternoons. 68 

IX Refreshments. 72 

X Decorations. 80 

XI “Dressing Up”. 85 

Index. 94 






























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INTRODUCTION 


Good Times for Girls, of course, includes good times with 
boys, but the present treatment of the subject has in mind 
the girls responsible for planning the good times of the 
group. 

Chapter VI of Leadership of Girls’ Activities discusses 
from the standpoint of the adult leader the principles on 
which successful social affairs may be conducted. The 
teacher or club leader will need to keep that chapter in 
mind in advising as to the general program of socials 
and in special problems that come up. This pamphlet gives 
explicit directions for things to do which have stood the 
tests of popularity, fun, and good taste. It also gives sug¬ 
gestions for planning in detail different kinds of good 
times appropriate for different groups of people or special 
occasions. It is a manual for the class or club officers or 
social committee of any group of girls and is written 
especially from the standpoint of the young girl hostess. 

Care has been taken to avoid duplicating herein the 
material in four books, which should be in the library of 
every church social worker: 

Icebreakers, Geister (Woman’s Press, New York, $1.35). 
Full of good things for young people—girls and boys to¬ 
gether. Many can be used by younger girls. Mixers, games, 
stunts, singing games, and simple group and folk games. 

Social Games and Group Dances, Elsom and Trilling 
(Lippincott, $1.75). Social mixers and games, parlor and 
house-party games, active tag and quiet pencil-and-paper 
games, and group dances for children and young people. 

Games for the Playground, Home , School, and Gymna¬ 
sium, Bancroft (Macmillan, $1.50). A classified index 
makes it easy to turn to games, quiet or romping, for any 
age or group. 

Social Plans for Young People, Reisner (The Abingdon 
Press, 90 cents). Especially for the “general social” in the 
church parlors. 

Additional suggestions for outdoor frolics will be found 
in the author’s pamphet Physical Health and Recreation 
for Girls. 


7 


8 


INTRODUCTION 


But all these helps are only a beginning. Those who 
would be good-times experts must constantly add new ideas. 
Keep a memorandum of every one you find. One of the 
simplest ways is to have a loose-leaf notebook in which to 
write up the separate items from the parties you attend. 
Two or more sheets for one topic can then easily be clipped 
together. On cards of the same size (5 by 7 inches will be 
found convenient) paste clippings from the papers and 
magazines, which are brimful of suggestions for the spe¬ 
cial holidays and anniversaries. Classify this material 
by keeping the clippings, mounted samples, and written 
pages in heavy Manila envelopes somewhat larger, labeled 
“Games,” “Stunts,” “Conundrums,” “Place Cards,” “Eats,” 
“Boy-and-Girl Parties,” “Girls-Only Parties,” etc. Keep the 
envelopes in a heavy pamphlet box. 


I 


PLANNING THE PARTY 

The first thing to decide is what kind of a party it is 
to be. Is it to be for girls alone, or are boys to be invited? 
Is it to be a formal affair with special invitations, a frolic 
for a definite group, or a general social to which “every¬ 
body is invited”? 

1. The hind of party. —One of the elements of a good 
time which we all feel quickly enough but seldom analyze 
is the fitness of things. Some kinds of entertainment are 
appropriate for a jollification with a small group of girls 
who know each other well which would be most inappropri¬ 
ate for a general church social. The very special party 
that is to be made “in every way lovely” requires in prep¬ 
aration many details that would naturally be omitted in an 
impromptu affair. 

(a) Frolics .—Active games and sports in the gymnasium, 
on the playground, or in the woods or fields, athletic games 
and stunts, “baby” parties and other nonsense affairs, are 
all appropriate for a group of girls alone. Making the 
decorations or other preparations for more formal enter¬ 
tainments may often be occasion for real jollifications. 

A group of girls and boys together may have informal 
frolics usually centering around “eats” or hikes and camp- 
craft or while doing a piece of active service, such as clean¬ 
ing the church and church lawn. 

(&) The general social .—To this a class or group in¬ 
vites all the other young people of the church or of the 
high school or their fellow employees in an industrial plant. 
It may be as informal as the frolic, but usually a part of 
the time has to be planned in which the guests sit still and 
are amused or entertained by the hostesses. The various 
devices for cultivating acquaintance are also most used 
in this type of social affair. 

(c) The formal party .—This is the kind of gathering 
where girls may wear their daintiest frocks, and the boys 

9 


10 


GOOD TIMES FOR GIRLS 


their best suits, and all find it easier to cultivate grace and 
charm in manner. To these affairs belong the prettiest 
table appointments, place cards, favors, a profusion of 
flowers and bunting, and all the little details that mark the 
“nicest” social life. In most communities the proportion 
of this type of party is altogether too small. Young people 
need to be frolicsome but they also need plenty of chance 
to practice the most gracious courtesies and social ameni¬ 
ties; and they like to do so far more often than is expected 
of them. The expense need be practically nothing except 
that of time and thought. 

Appropriate occasions for these more formal affairs are 
receptions to newcomers in church and community, to spe¬ 
cial groups, such as high-school seniors or new students 
in a college town; luncheons and showers for girls who 
are leaving for college or work, or for brides; banquets 
given by daughters to their mothers or to their fathers, 
and interdepartmental banquets of the church school; after¬ 
noon teas, either for girl friends in honor of some distin¬ 
guished visitor or as a regular “at home” by a group of 
girls (at different homes in turn) to give hospitality to 
their girl and boy friends alike. The afternoon tea, of course, 
is available only for the girl in school or the one who stays 
at home. There is no reason why it should be a dull, 
formal affair to be avoided. It is the opportunity for girls 
who have the energy and who see the possibility to culti¬ 
vate the disappearing art of delightful and stimulating con¬ 
versation. 

2. Planning the group.— After the general plan of the 
party is in mind, the invitations can be made part of the 
scheme. For the frolic that includes only the class or club 
an oral invitation usually is sufficient. If boys are to be 
guests, the invitation should go from the group rather than 
from the individual girls. If the guests are to be an or¬ 
ganization, such as a Sunday-school class or troop of Boy 
Scouts or the sophomores in high school, an oral or written 
invitation from the president or secretary of the hostess 
group to the corresponding officer of the boys’ organization 
is sufficient. If the girls are to be hostesses to the 
Young People’s Department of the church school or at a 


PLANNING THE PARTY 


11 


church social, a notice from the pulpit or in the bulletin 
is usually enough. It is for the formal or the “feature” 
party that cleverness and ingenuity in invitations are 
brought into play. What would one think of an invitation 
to a Valentine party which was not decorated with hearts 
or cupids? Such affairs as commencement receptions or 
afternoon teas in honor of distinguished visitors should 
have invitations in perfect form on absolutely correct sta¬ 
tionery, but for “special feature” affairs rimes or non¬ 
sense paragraphs, and decorations with pen and ink or 
water color or cut-out pictures may all be employed. 

3. The “theme” of the party.— After the kind of party 
and the number of guests have been decided upon, the next 
element in planning is the “theme” of the special occasion. 
A successful social affair is like a picture. It has a leading 
idea, and all the parts belong to this central motif. Plan¬ 
ning a definite entertainment always brings out ideas. One 
guide to choosing a theme is found in the customary anni¬ 
versary or seasonal celebrations. The program committee 
may find convenient a calendar something like the fol¬ 
lowing: 

January—color scheme, white: 

New Year’s Day—resolutions, Father Time. 

Winter sports—sleigh rides, tobogganing, skating, taffy 
pulls, popcorn and fudge parties. 

February—color scheme, red: 

Winter sports (as above). 

Patriotic anniversaries—Washington, Lincoln. 
Valentine’s Day. 

March—color scheme, green: 

Spring. 

St. Patrick’s Day. 

Banquets. 

April—color scheme, yellow: 

April fool. 

Easter. 

Showers; gardening. 

May—color scheme, pale tints of varied colors: 

May Day. 

School receptions. 

Community pageants. 


12 


GOOD TIMES FOR GIRLS 


June—color scheme, pink: 

Commencement. 

Brides. 

Picnics. 

Lawn -fetes (roses). 

July—club colors, city banners, and red-wbite-and-blue. 
Sunday-school picnics. 

The Fourth; civic celebrations; new-American parties. 
Girls’ field day. 

August: 

Beach parties; boat excursions. 

Shore dinners. 

Polar picnics. 

Porch parties. 

Berry, corn, and tomato parties. 

September—college colors: 

Welcoming receptions—high-school and college students, 
foreign- and night-school students. 

“Bacon bats” and camp fires (with story-telling). 
Showers for departing students and workers. 

October—reds, browns, and russets (black for Halloween): 
Harvest home. 

Halloween. 

“Send-offs” or launchings for club projects. 

Apple parings and corn huskings (barn frolics). 
Community pageants. 

November—color, blue: 

Old-fashioned parties—quilting bee, spelling school, sing¬ 
ing school. 

Thanksgiving—John and Priscilla; pageant of American 
ideals; “all the comforts of home” for homesick stu¬ 
dents (kitchen parties). 

December—holly: 

Christmas—gift and candy making, carol singing. 


II 


GETTING ACQUAINTED 

The main reason for having parties is acquaintance. You 
want to know more people or you want to know them bet¬ 
ter. If the group is not too large, after a social evening 
each should be able next day to recognize in street clothes 
and perhaps to call by name everyone who was present. 
That can be accomplished if there is plenty of moving 
about and talking, and that will add also to the feeling of 
general friendliness. 

If the company is very large, and many are strangers, 
each may be able to remember only a part of the whole 
number. But if the big crowd is to feel at home, there 
must be a certain few whom all know. These form the 
heart of the group and give it life. Naturally this center 
is made up of the hospitality committee, which plans the 
program, and the grown-up friend, who is their “balance 
wheel”—the teacher, club leader, or mother who chaperons 
the party. 

The hostess, whether an individual or a group, must be 
accessible to every guest upon entrance. When the hostess 
is a club or class, and the guests are very numerous, there 
is nothing better than a reception line. If it is a general 
social, and the guests are unacquainted with each other, 
there must be devised ways of having everyone meet every¬ 
one else as early in the evening as possible. 

1. The reception line. — (I) The adult leader or chap¬ 
erons and the officers of the club stand near the door. Two 
other members of the class or group meet each guest and 
ask the name, then introduce the guest to the first member 
of the receiving line, who in turn introduces him to the 
next, and so on. Another member of the club meets the 
guest at the end of the line and introduces him to one or 
two other guests, so that he may be conversing during the 
first awkward moments. A variation is to introduce alter- 

13 


14 


GOOD TIMES FOR GIRLS 


nate boy and girl guests and let them take their places in 
the receiving line up to a certain number, when they step 
out and practice calling each other by name. The second 
relay of guests leave the reception line, join the others, 
and the first group introduce themselves and learn the 
new names. This is very helpful for an opening reception 
at school or by a Christian-Association group. 

Another variation is for the hostess group to be equally 
divided among the four corners of the room. The guests 
may then meet only one group, to save time if the company 
is very large, and an entertainment is to follow. 

2. Meeting other guests.— If the desirable thing is to 
learn the names as a basis of future acquaintance, a card 
should be pinned to each hostess and each guest as they 
enter the room. Have the names written by someone who 
writes or prints very clearly. Each guest may be given a 
card or pencil, and a certain length of time allotted for 
(2) gathering autographs of all other guests not previ¬ 
ously known to them. These cards may be folded into 
little booklets appropriately decorated, which will serve as 
valued souvenirs. A prize may be given to the one who has 
collected the most names or, better still, to the one who 
can at the end of the time pick out from the group the 
largest number of those whose names he has. 

If the group is small, and there is special point in re¬ 
membering each other’s names, (3) circular introduction 
is good. The first says, “I am Jane Smith”; the second, 
“I am Mary Brown and I know Jane Smith”; the third, 
“I am Ethel Davis and I know Mary Brown and Jane 
Smith”; and so on until the circle is complete. It may be 
repeated until each one has a chance to say all the names. 

If some of the guests have met before, the point is to 
get them to mingle instead of staying in little groups with 
those whom they already know. (4) “Who am I?” is 
capable of indefinite variation. A name—historical, Bib¬ 
lical, or from fiction—is pinned upon the person's back, and 
all the rest converse with her as if she were that character. 
When she has guessed who she is she may pin the paper 
in front and keep on talking with the others. 

(5) “Musical progress” is a good way to mix people 


GETTING ACQUAINTED 


15 


who are inclined to remain too passive. Everyone falls 
into a single line and follows the leader to the music of a 
march until a large circle is formed. Then every other 
one, beginning with the leader, steps into an inner circle. 
The circles now march in opposite directions until the 
music stops. Each then converses with the person oppo¬ 
site until the music starts again. 

If the number is not too large, there is great fun in 
assigning (6) pairs of names, historical or humorous, such 
as David and Jonathan, Queen Elizabeth and Sir Walter 
Raleigh, Ruth and Naomi, Gold-Dust Twins, Kate and 
Duplicate, etc. Another way is to give (7) family names, 
with father, mother, and numerous children, so that ulti¬ 
mately the entire group will be divided into four or five 
“families.” Mr. Wecanta Ford, Mrs. Wewanta Ford, Miss 
Iona Ford, Mr. Aaron A. Ford, Miss I. Mina Ford; Mr. Bi 
Plain, Mrs. Vera Plain, Miss Mona Plain; the Newlyweds, 
the McGinnesses, and the Gumps are suggestions. Such 
devices serve as a basis for producing part of the program 
later. 

Another excellent kind of (8) games for thoroughly 
mixing a group is those in which each is supplied with 
five clothespins or ten beans. Anyone who answers a ques¬ 
tion by yes or no has to surrender a clothespin to the one 
asking the question. The object, of course, is to keep all 
one’s clothespins and get as many as possible from the 
unwary. The beans may be used in the same way. 

3 Finding partners.—(9) Matching devices. —Each 
guest is given a portion of an advertisement, half a quota¬ 
tion, part of a puzzle picture, a piece of silk or calico, or a 
paper flower. Each must then find the rest of the adver¬ 
tisement, the other half of the quotation, fit the pieces of 
the puzzle picture, or find the person whose flower or scrap 
of cloth matches his. In a large gathering it is well to 
have the groups thus assembled composed of several per¬ 
sons (four or eight) rather than pairs. When the mem¬ 
bers of a group have found each other they sing their 
song, act their advertisement, or do some other prescribed 
“stunt.” If the “Who am I?” characters have been given 
in pairs, they may find each other for partners. Other 


16 


GOOD TIMES FOR GIRLS 


devices are matching States or countries and their capitals, 
or books and authors. 

A variation is to give each guest twenty pins, with which 
they may buy small packages which are put up for ( 10 ) 
auction. Each package contains one of the matching de¬ 
vices just described. If the number of boys and girls is 
equal, the boys may bid for packages that contain a descrip¬ 
tion of one of the girls, from which they are to find her; or 
a knot of color, a paper flower, or some other object that 
matches the dress or ornaments of one of the girls. 

Or (11) a postman may distribute little notes, each one 
to a girl being matched by an identical one for a boy. “I 
will be reading a book by the table”; “I will be walking 
around with my arms folded”; “Meet me by the fireplace”; 
“Meet me between the folding doors,” are samples of the 
directions for identifying partners which these notes may 
give. After the number of absentees has been checked up, 
and the extra pairs of notes removed, the “mail” for the 
boys and girls is separated and thoroughly mixed up by 
shaking in a hat or basket, so that distribution is quite by 
chance. 

(12) The tangled web is an obviously fair method of 
thoroughly mixing partners for refreshments or stunts. 
On each end of heavy threads or fine, stout cords two or 
three yards long is tied a small tag. The bunch of threads 
is rolled together and held in the middle by the leader. 
The girls grasp the tags on one side, the boys on the other. 
When all have a firm hold, the leader lets go, and the 
crowd disentangles in pairs. 


Ill 


WHEN ALL ARE TO TAKE PART 

After everybody has met everybody else, there should at 
once be something for everybody to do all together. People 
are happier and tire less quickly if vigorous motion alter¬ 
nates with sitting still, and if games in which everyone 
takes part are interspersed with games or stunts that per¬ 
mit the quieter ones to watch the others. 

1. Moving-about games. — (13) Animated spelling 
match.— Leaders choose sides as in the old-fashioned spell¬ 
ing match. A letter large enough to be plainly seen is 
hung about the neck of each person. Each side should 
have one alphabet and a few extra vowels. As the words 
are called, the persons whose letters form that word ar¬ 
range themselves as quickly as possible, the side first com¬ 
pleting the word with the letters in proper order gaining 
the point. It is a good plan to have a list of words pre¬ 
pared beforehand, utilizing as many different letters as 
possible. If there are particularly clever spellers in the 
group, two of them may be chosen for the captains. The 
captain whose side has won may give out the next word. 
Otherwise, it is better to have an impartial umpire to 
pronounce all the words. 

(14) Charades. —These are old but ever new and are 
especially good for girls and boys who do not know quite 
what to do. Two leaders are named who choose sides until 
the entire company is divided. Then each group in turn 
acts out a word. Usually there is a separate scene for 
each syllable. If the audience cannot guess when all the 
syllables have been acted they may demand that the actors 
portray the word as a whole. For example, “ingratiate”: 
scene 1, a country inn; scene 2, a girl, buying a suit, 
chooses a gray one; scene 3, “she” instead of “he” is made 
important; scene 4, eight persons or objects; total, girl in 
gray eating. Remember that the syllable is acted entirely 

17 


18 


GOOD TIMES FOR GIRLS 


by sound, not by spelling. Some good words are “ingrati¬ 
ate” (in-gray-sbe-ate); “metaphysician” (met-a-physician); 
“paradox” (pair-o’-docks); “metaphor” (met-afore); “pink¬ 
ing iron” (pin-king-I-run); “Cicero” (sissy-row); “Shake¬ 
speare” (shake-spear); “Benjamin” (Ben-jam-in); “Galves¬ 
ton” (gal-vest-on); “Milwaukee” (mill-walk-key); “misun¬ 
derstand” (miss-under-stand); “Filipino” (fill-lip-I-know); 
“Pekin, China” (peek-in-china); “Robinson Crusoe” (robin- 
son-crew-so); “propagate” (prop-a-gate); “alumni” (alum- 
nigh); “pensive” (pen-sieve); “perpetuate” (purr-pet-you- 
ate). 

(15) Dumb crambo. —This form of charade is good be¬ 
cause it needs no costuming and it keeps both sides guess¬ 
ing. One side determines upon a word, and the leader 
announces to the other side, “The word rimes with ‘hill/ ” 
The other side comes in, and a girl falls; another goes for 
a doctor, who comes and administers something which the 
first side recognizes as “pill” but says, “No, it is not ‘pill/ ” 
Again in pantomime they pour something from a large 
receptacle into numerous small ones. “No,” says the first 
side, “it is not ‘fill/” And so on until the second side 
comes in with hands back of ears, elbows slowly waving, 
and the first side, clapping, says, “Yes, it is ‘gill/ ” 

(16) Acting proverbs. —The whole company may be 
divided into two teams, as in charades, or a single person 
may be required to do the guessing. One group retires and 
decides upon a familiar proverb, which it acts out before 
the other group. When the audience has guessed it takes 
its turn at choosing and acting. The only help permissible 
is to give the number of words in the proverb being acted. 
Here are some that have been used; they will suggest 
others: “A stitch in time saves nine”; “Don’t count your 
chickens before they are hatched”; “Honesty is the best 
policy”; “A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush”; 
“Where there is a will there is a way”; “A rolling stone 
gathers no moss.” 

(17) Acting advertisements. —These may be carried out 
in the same way. There are two usual methods: One sug¬ 
gests a familiar phrase or slogan; the other reproduces a 
frequently used illustration. A young girl sits reading a 


WHEN ALL ARE TO TAKE PART 


19 


book marked “Ghost Stories.’' Her eyes close. A shadowy 
figure approaches. (A stuffed sheet and pillow case pulled 
by strings answers very well.) She moves. It rises. She 
screams, “It floats!” The audience should recognize “Ivory 
soap.” A procession of yawning persons, each with a 
candle, suggests “Time to retire.” 

(18) Vocational guidance. —One half of the company 

are the “board”; the other half are the “applicants.” As 
each applicant comes in she is asked what she would like 
to do. She replies in pantomime—trimming a hat, cooking, 
teaching an imaginary class, or nursing an imaginary 
patient. If the pantomime is so successful that the “board” 
unanimously guess what is intended within one minute 
they give their decision, “Yes, you may be a-,” nam¬ 

ing the occupation they think was represented. If they 
cannot guess within the minute, or there is a division of 
opinion as to what the candidate is acting, she must be 
“sent to training school” and returns to one corner of the 
room, in which the “board” is seated. After the cases are 
all decided upon, members of the “board” become the “ap¬ 
plicants,” and then the other half of the company take the 
place of “advisers.” The side that has the fewest “sent 
back to school” wins, and that group is privileged to pre¬ 
scribe the training for the “special pupils” of the other 
side. They may take revenge while doing so by training 
them in such “unskilled labor” as peeling onions, weeding 
gardens, waiting on table, washing dishes, sewing on but¬ 
tons, or doing nothing, or may reward their progress by 
permitting them to play baseball or marbles. 

(19) Circle games. — Drop-the-handkerchief, London 
bridge, jolly-is-the-miller, Looby Loo, and many other sing¬ 
ing games of childhood are of perennial interest. Descrip¬ 
tions of all these and many others, both new and familiar, 
are to be found in Miss Bancroft’s book Games for the 
Playground , Home, School, and Gymnasium. 

(20) Upsetting exercises. —If the girls are used to gym¬ 
nasium work and setting-up drills, they will appreciate a 
take-off such as “fall-in” (girls fall over each other and 
drop on the floor, etc.); “right dress” (button up collar or 
blouses; fix ribbons, hair, etc.); “tongue stretching for- 



20 


GOOD TIMES FOR GIRLS 


ward"; “cheeks puffing alternately”; “chest rubbing right 
hand, head scratching left hand, change” (see Icebreakers , 
page 50). This may be the opening “stunt” at an “indoor 
meet” (see Icebreakers, pages 88-90). 

(21) Art gallery. —Various objects are assembled and 
placed upon ordinary wooden or pasteboard frames. A 
number is conspicuous on each frame. Each guest is 
handed a mimeographed or typewritten “catalogue,” in 
which are given the titles of these “works of art.” Each is 
then to find the “picture” corresponding to each title and 
write its number in the vacant place upon the margin of 
the catalogue. The hostess, of course, has the correct list 
of numbers and titles; and after all have completed the 
guessing, the numbers are read aloud, and an artistic sou¬ 
venir given to the one who showed the most skill in finding 
the proper subjects. Here are some “pictures” that have 
been used: 


“Departed Days.” 

“Scene in Bermuda.” 
“Bittersweet.” 

“We Part to Meet Again.” 
“Buttercups.” 

“The Reigning Favorite.” 
“Phlox.” 

“Home of Burns.” 

“Greatest Bet Ever Made.” 
“The Colonel's Home.” 
“Stock.” 

“Cause of American Revolu¬ 
tion.” 

“A Little Peacemaker.” 
“Bound to Rise.” 
“Snapdragon.” 

“A Family Jar.” 

“A Place for Reflection.” 
“Dandelion.” 

“Deer in Winter.” 

“A Rejected Beau.” 

“Our Colored Waiter.” 
“Butter and Eggs.” 

“Sweet Sixteen.” 

“Common Sense.” 
“Coxcomb.” 


(Last year’s calendar.) 
(Onion.) 

(Quinine pills and sugar.) 
(Scissors.) 

(Piece of butter and a cup.) 
(Umbrella.) 

(Picture of flock of sheep.) 
(Flat iron.) 

(Alphabet.) 

(Ear of corn.) 

(Collar.) 

(Tacks on tea.) 

(Chopping knife.) 

(Yeast.) 

(Picture of dragon and a 
ginger snap.) 

(Fruit jar.) 

(Mirror.) 

(Toy lion with top hat and 
cane.) 

(Eggs.) 

(Old black ribbon.) 
(Laquered tray.) 

(Toy goat and eggs.) 
(Sixteen lumps of sugar.) 
(Pennies.) 

(Toy rooster and comb.) 


WHEN ALL ARE TO TAKE PART 


21 


“The Black Friar.” 
“Four Seasons.” 


(Frying pan.) 

(Vinegar, mustard, pepper, 


“Bachelor’s Buttons.” 
“The Skipper’s Home.” 
“An Absorbing Subject.” 
“Bound to Shine.” 

“A Spoony Couple.” 


and salt.) 
(Buttons.) 

(Cheese.) 

(Blotter or sponge.) 
(Shoe polish.) 

(Two teaspoons.) 


2. Sitting-down games.—(22) Progressive conversa¬ 
tion. —(a) For an equal number of boys and girls: The 
girls remain seated and converse with the boys until the 
music starts. The boys rise with the chord and march 
until a final chord is given, whereupon each seats himself 
in the nearest vacant chair and talks to the girl at his 
right. 

(b) For an indefinite number of girls or boys and girls 
together: Program cards are made out with topics, for 
which partners are found, and conversation lasts until the 
signal is given to change both partners and topics. The 
success of this method depends on having good topics. A 
series for use just before Christmas might be: 

The Christmas gift that made me happiest. 

The most inappropriate gift I ever heard of. 

Spugs. 

Christmas customs overseas. 

Our community Christmas tree. 

If I were to choose the carols. 

(23) Art contest is all the funnier when many of the 
guests “cannot draw a straight line.” A large picture of 
George Washington, General Pershing, or some other well- 
known person is hung in a conspicuous place. Immediately 
beneath it is a board on which is fastened with thumb tacks 
a large sheet of white wrapping paper. Each guest in turn 
is given a crayon and a fresh sheet of paper and made to 
copy the portrait freehand. These “works of art” are 
hung about the room and judged by popular vote. 

A variation of this is for each to be asked to draw the 
portrait of someone known to all present. The finished 
pictures are hung, and each person writes underneath it the 
name of the person whom he thinks it represents. After 


22 


GOOD TIMES FOR GIRLS 


all have guessed, each writes the name of the picture he 
drew. A prize may be given to the one recognized by most 
and to the one recognized by no one. This may also be 
adapted to a musical evening by asking each to represent 
by drawing some popular song. 

(24) Modeling class. —Each guest is given a stick of 
chewing gum, a stiff white card, and two tooth picks. After 
the “clay” is reduced to the proper consistency for mold¬ 
ing, each proceeds to work out in an allotted time some 
likeness to his or her fancy. The “sculpture” is mounted 
upon the card, the sculptor’s name signed, and the minia¬ 
ture statuary is placed upon a long table for exhibition. 

(25) Kaleidoscope story.— For a group of from three 
or four to not more than twenty: 

(a) Lots are drawn, and one girl begins. She makes up 
a story for two minutes by the watch, or as long as her 
incense stick burns (if the party is in the twilight on a 
porch or at a summer camp). At the close of her time she 
indicates the next one, who must go on with the story for 
the same length of time. The last one in the party must 
bring it to a happy conclusion during her allotted minutes. 

(b) A simple short story is copied, omitting most of the 
nouns. All the omitted nouns and others that may or may 
not be appropriate are written upon small cards. These 
cards are shuffled and given out in equal number to all in 
the group. The reader then begins the story and pauses for 
each one in turn to supply the missing nouns. To some 
who read this the whole scheme will be familiar as that 
of “Peter Caudle’s Journey to New York.” Younger girls 
enjoy this and usually call for the story two or three 
times in succession for the fun of seeing how the reshuffled 
cards will change it. 

(26) Ollapodrida.— Groups numbering from sixteen to 
sixty may be entertained by progressive games, four seated 
at each small table. At a given signal the two who 
have made the greatest progress move to the next table in 
order. Suitable games for such tables are: jackstraws, 
fishpond, needle-threading contest, button-stringing contest, 
spearing peanuts with hatpins, anagrams, authors, checkers, 
jackstones, crokinole. If the company is large, the same 


WHEN ALL ARE TO TAKE PART 


23 


game may be repeated at some of the tables, and it will not 
be necessary for any contestant to complete the round. 

(27) Predicaments.— One person goes about and whispers 
in the ear of each person some predicament, such as “I for¬ 
got my key!"; “I stepped into a mud puddle!"; or “Com¬ 
pany came unexpectedly to dinner!" A second person goes 
to each with a suggestion of something to do: “Turn your 
coat wrong side out"; “Put a newspaper over it"; or “Try 
tea or camphor." Each then turns to the left-hand neigh¬ 
bor and states his predicament; the other replies with the 
suggestion that has been made and then turns to his left 
hand neighbor with his predicament; and so on. 

A variation of this is (28) prescriptions, in which each 
is assigned an ailment—scarlet fever, cold in the head, 
housemaid’s knee, etc.—, while another gives a series of 
remedies, simple or heroic, such as “Apply a mustard 
plaster”; “Put ice upon the head"; “Gargle salt and water"; 
or “Take a rest cure." The chance combinations of disease 
and prescriptions are often excruciatingly funny. 

(29) Resemblances. —The company is divided into two 
equal parts, each side facing the other. Each of those on 
one side is given the name of a flower. Animals’ names are 
distributed to the other side. Each couple then rises and 
stands facing each other. The flower persons say, “Do not 
I look like a (violet) ?" “No, you look like a (hippopota¬ 
mus).” This dialogue must be repeated three times with¬ 
out either person smiling or laughing. Whoever laughs 
during his turn has to leave the line. Of course, the side 
wins which has the most in line after all have commented 
on their resemblances. 

(30) Gossip. —The leader whispers a statement to her 
left-hand neighbor, who in turn whispers to her left-hand 
neighbor exactly what she heard. No one should repeat 
his statement twice. The one at the end of the line repeats 
aloud what she heard, and the leader repeats the original 
sentence. The variation is likely to be as great as in ordi¬ 
nary gossip. 

(31) Kingdoms. —From grade pupils to college students 
this ancient game still holds sway. Its name comes from 
the first question. The questioner, who has been sent 


24 


GOOD TIMES FOR GIRLS 


from the room while the company have determined on some 
object, first asks, “Animal, vegetable, or mineral?” Guided 
by the answer, he must ask each one in turn a question 
which can be answered by “yes” or “no” until he guesses 
the object. 

(32) “It.”— There is sure to be someone who is “unwise” 
to this old trick. The “unwise” one is sent from the room, 
while the others are supposed to agree upon some object, as 
in “kingdoms.” When he returns he asks questions, which 
must also be answered by “yes” or “no”; but as “it” is 
always the person at the left hand of the one who answers, 
the replies often contain startling contradictions. 

(33) “Going to Chicago.” —All the players are seated 
in a circle. The leader throws a knotted handkerchief into 
the lap of a player, saying, “I am going to Chicago.” “What 
is your cargo?” asks that player. The answer must al¬ 
ways begin with the initials of the speaker’s last name. 
The trick must be discovered without this being told. If 
the cargo is correct, the recipient says, “You can go,” and 
throws the handkerchief to another player. When the 
player answers with some commodity that does not begin 
with the same letter as her own name, those who are “wise” 
cry out, “You cannot go!” And she must try again until 
she discovers the trick or gives it up. This may be made 
more complicated by using the initials of both names, as 
Jane Smith will take jelly and sugar; Martha Robinson 
will take macaroni and rockets. 

(34) Musical romance. —For this entertainment all 
that is needed is a piano and pianist and sufficient cards 
and pencils. Have the pianist state that she is going to 
tell a little romance; and that when there is a break in the 
story, the few chords she will play will provide the cue. 
Anyone who wishes this cue repeated must call out, “En¬ 
core!” and it will be played a second time. The boys and 
girls work in couples. When the lists are finished, every 
boy must change lists for the purpose of checking up the 
corrected replies to the numbered questions. Too much of 
any one tune must not be played. The players must not 
be allowed to guess too easily. The following form was 
distributed by the War-Camp Community Service. Some 


WHEN ALL ARE TO TAKE PART 


25 


additions are included, and many variations will suggest 
themselves by which more recent or more familiar tunes 
may be substituted: 

I once knew a young fellow—such a nice chap. Let me 
see, what was his name? Oh, yes! ( Robin Adair). And he 
had a nice girl. Her name was (Katie, Beautiful Katie). 
She was born in (Maryland, My Maryland) but had spent 
much of her life ('Way Down Upon the Suwanee River). 
They had known each other for years, having met (Cornin' 
Through the Rye). He gave her (The Last Rose of Sum¬ 
mer), and she said, “For you I’ll leave (My Old Kentucky 
Home)." So they were married. The bridesmaid’s name 
was (Annie Laurie), and the prettiest part of her costume 
was (Oh, Dem Golden Slippers). She wore a green dress 
because she loved (The Wearin' of the Green). For their 
honeymoon they went (Marching Through Georgia). Then 
he bade her (The Soldier's Farewell) and went (Over 
There). She said (Good-By, My Lover, Good-By ). Going 
over, he was (Rocked in the Cradle of the Deep), while 
she watched the papers daily to see what would happen 
(When Pershing's Men March Into Picardy). Before he 
left, Robin said to his wife, "(Keep the Home Fires Burn¬ 
ing). I shall be back soon after we have wound up the 
(Watch on the Rhine).” He had a great friend in the 
same platoon named (Private Michael Cassidy). They 
talked every night about the (Old Folks at Home) and 
(The Girl I Left Behind Me). (Private Michael Cassidy) 
also had a sweetheart. Her name was (Kathleen Ma- 
vourneen) , but he called her his (Wild Irish Rose). He 
said he wanted to see her, but it was (A Long, Long 
Way to Tipperary), and he could not go for the week¬ 
end; but some day he hoped again to be (Where the River 
Shannon Flows). He was very sentimental and would 
often sing (Just a Song at Twilight). When Robin’s wife 
wrote to him she said, “(My Bonnie Lies Over the Ocean),” 
and when he wrote her he said, “(There's a Long, Long 
Trail).” Finally the Americans reached (The Beautiful 
Blue Danube) and conquered (Fritzie Boy). Then Robin 
returned to his (Home, Sweet Home) in (America). 

With a little originality clever flower, tree, and bird 
romances or a “book lover’s tale” may be made up: 

(35) A floral love story (taken from the leaves of a 
bud’s journal): 

Although her name, like her nature, was the symbol of 
modesty (Violet), she was a typical gorgeous rose (Amer¬ 
ican Beauty). (Jonquil) tells his name and what he used 


26 


GOOD TIMES FOR GIRLS 


to write it with. From the top of her head, crowned with 
(maiden hair), to the tip of her dainty (lady’s slippers), 
he thought her a (spring beauty). She was a very neat 
seamstress, and never allowed herself to become a (ragged 
lady), but he was often embarrassed by losing his (bach¬ 
elor’s buttons). When he called he brought bonbons, her 
favorites being (buttercups and marshmallows). He 
found he could not live if she did not marry him so he 
fell on his knees and (aster)! “(Johnny, jump up),” she 
said, and sent him to (poppy). As he left, “(Forget-me- 
not),” he begged; and she replied, “(Speed-well).” Now, 
her father was a church officer, an (elder), and so well-to- 
do he was afraid her suitor might want to (marigold). She 
knew this and during the interview she was a very (blue 
bell). He implored her father, “(Lettuce)!” and the 
father’s consent brought them (heart’s ease). The brides¬ 
maid was (Lily-of-the-valley), and the best man (Sweet 
William). Both kissed the bride on her (tulips) after the 
ceremony performed by (Jack-in-the-pulpit). She ruled her 
husband strictly, but it was with a (golden rod), and their 
happiness was (everlasting). 

(36) Book review.— This is good for a small company 
of high-school students or others who read a great deal. 
Each is given a sheet of paper and a pencil and writes at 
the top of the sheet the title of a book, real or made up. 
This line is folded back, and the paper is passed to the 
next neighbor, who writes the name of an author, folds the 
line in, and passes the sheet on. Then the type of book— 
novel, biography, history, humor, textbook, etc.—is written. 
Again folded and passed on, a brief summary of contents 
is written; after the next folding a criticism, which 
may be commendatory, satirical, etc., according to the fancy 
of the writer. Two or three of these criticisms may be 
written as the numbers permit, with alternate foldings, 
giving the name of the reviewing magazine. For example: 

“The Mystery of the Haunted Gum Drop,” by Emanuel 
Kant, is a scientific textbook of rare merit. The hero and 
heroine, in whom one recognizes Charlie Chaplin and Mary 
Pickford slightly disguised, go through a series of hair¬ 
breadth adventures with the usual happy ending. 

This is sure to engage the serious attention of all think¬ 
ing people. Rarely has a more masterful work appeared 
from the pen of man. We predict that it will be on© of the 
enduring books of the century .—London Times . 

Why such drivel ?—New York World, 


WHEN ALL ARE TO TAKE PART 


27 


We roared and roared till we like to bust! Honestly, it’s 
a scream. It’s as thrilling as a world’s series game and 
funnier than Constantinople politics .—Atlantic Monthly. 

(37) Cooperative art. —Each person has a sheet of tab¬ 
let paper. At the top each draws a head—human, beast, 
bird, or fish. The paper is then folded back so as to show 
only the place where the body is to be joined, and passed 
to the left-hand neighbor, who adds the body, folds back the 
paper, indicating the place where the limbs are to be but 
not indicating whether they are to be two or more. The 
third artist adds the legs and feet, and the fourth to re¬ 
ceive the paper gives the picture a title. The productions 
are then unfolded and passed about the circle. 

(38) Cooperative poetry.— Each writes at the top of 
her paper a line of poetry, either original or from mem¬ 
ory, dropping the last word to the line below and folding 
the paper so that only this word shows. The paper is 
passed to the left-hand neighbor, who must write a line to 
rime with the given word. After the papers have been 
around the circle, the “poems” are read aloud. 

(39) Personals. —Each person is given a card with the 
request to write his or her initials at the top. These cards 
are collected, thoroughly mixed up, and redistributed. Then 
each writes upon the card he now holds answers to the 
following questions, using only words beginning with the 
letters at the top of that card; for example: 

M. E. M.: 

Where are you from? (’Merica’s exciting market.) 

Whom do you look like? (Many eminent marvels.) 

Who would you like to be if not yourself? (Mark’s ele¬ 
gant mother.) 

What trait do you most admire in other people? (Much 
executive mastery.) 

What is your most prominent characteristic? (Mighty 
elegant mind.) 

Your best quality? (Mingle every merit.) 

Your worst fault? (Most easy mark.) 

What do other people consider you? (Muddling, earnest 
meddler.) 

What do you consider yourself? (Most enviable mortal.) 

Your regular occupation? (Moving every minute.) 

Your favorite sport? (Making everybody miserable.) 


28 


GOOD TIMES FOR GIRLS 


Your latest fad? (Marketing English marigolds.) 

Whom do you expect to marry? (Merry, energetic man¬ 
ufacturer.) 

What will you be doing ten years from now? (Motoring 
endless miles.) 

These are collected and read aloud, to the huge delight 
of all but the victims. Sometimes, when initials are sim¬ 
ilar, the one filling the card will have the wrong person in 
view, and the description will be humorously inappropriate. 

(40) Characterizations. —Each guest is given a card 
with fifteen or twenty well-known characters described by 
phrases beginning with the initials of the name. The 
guests are to guess and write the names, to be verified by 
the hostess from her “key.” For example: 

Great Warrior (George Washington). 

Always Lovable (Abraham Lincoln). 

Heartily Generous (Helen Gould). 

Tamed Electricity (Thomas Edison). 

(41) Consequences. —Each is provided with pencil and 
paper and asked to write as the leader gives the signal: 
(1) a boy’s name; (2) a girl’s name; (3) a number; (4) 
a number; (5) the name of a place; (6) a complete sen¬ 
tence; (7) a verb; (8) a complete sentence; (9) another 
verb; (10) a length of time; (11) the consequence. Papers 
are passed on to one’s left-hand neighbor after each 
question. At the close the leader gathers them and reads 
aloud the “stories” by fitting the answers into this scheme: 

(1) - was the hero, and (2) - was the heroine. 

He was (3) - years old, and she was (4) -. 

They met at (or in) (5) -. He said (6) meanwhile 

(7). She replied (8) and (9). The courtship lasted (10), 
and the consequence was (11). 

(42) Cable by code. —Telegram blanks and pencils are 
provided each person. It is explained that each is to com¬ 
pose a ten-word telegram but write only the ten initials and 
sign the name. These are collected and redistributed, and 
each recipient writes a telegram beginning with these ten 
letters in order and reads it aloud as he or she has “re¬ 
ceived” it. The sender is called upon to “repeat” the mes¬ 
sage by saying what the initials stood for in the original. 







WHEN ALL ARE TO TAKE PART 


29 


(43) Wiggles. —Some familiar advertisement is copied 
in outline and mounted upon a card. Cards enough to 
supply each member of the party are prepared by tracing 
with carbon paper a small part of the outline of the model 
picture. These must be exactly alike on each card. The 
guests are given the cards and pencils and fifteen minutes 
to complete the picture. The only direction is that the 
“wiggle” must remain part of the outline of the picture— 
that is, it must not be surrounded with other lines. At the 
end of the time the cards are collected and pinned up with 
the original in the center. The one whose production most 
nearly approaches the original in design (not in execution) 
is the prize “wiggler.” One “wiggle” taken from the hat, 
ear, and shoulder of a human figure was interpreted as a 
lamp, a landscape, an elephant, and any number of other 
objects. 

(44) Illustrated autobiography. —This is good for a 
group whose members know each other well. Blank books 
or folded paper booklets, with the name on the cover, are 
provided for each guest. At the top of the first page is 
written “My First Photograph”; other pages are entitled 
“My First Home”; “My First Playmate”; “My First School 
Day”; “My Most Important Journey,” showing “How I 
Went, Traveling Companions, and What I Saw”; “My Grad¬ 
uation” or “Why I Left School”; “My Future Home”; “My 
Future Occupation.” Illustrated magazines, shears, and 
library paste should be accessible. Sometimes each makes 
out her own book, but it is usually better to have them dis¬ 
tributed by chance. Each then keeps the book with her 
own name as a souvenir. 

There are numerous other pencil games that require a 
considerable amount of guessing. With some groups these 
are very popular: 

(45) Our friends the magazines.— 

The aged magazine. {Century.) 

Pepper, mustard, and tabasco sauce. {Literary Digest or 
Smart Set.) 

The magazine of color. {Red Book.) 

The pay-night letter. {Saturday Evening Post.) 

What architects strive for. {House Beautiful.) 


30 


GOOD TIMES FOR GIRLS 


Earth's greatest blessing. ( Good Housekeeping.) 

What we all cling to. ( Life .) 

A character in “Midsummer Night’s Dream.” ( Puck .) 
Something we should not do. ( Judge.) 

An Italian attraction for tourists. (Art.) 

What small boys pester. ( Black Cat.) 

The ideal American. (Lincoln.) 

Thomas A. Edison. (Electrician or Scientific American.) 
What a good husband should be. (Woman’s Home Com¬ 
panion.) 

What a dog usually is. (Youth’s Companion.) 

The universal magazine. (Cosmopolitan or Everybody’s.) 

(46) Our auatomy.— 

A necessity on a journey (trunk). 

A small animal (hare). 

The top of a hill (brow). 

Where a carpenter keeps his tools (chest). 

Something he has in it (nails). 

Part of a saw (teeth). 

Flowers (tulips). 

Ancient churches (temples). 

Shell fish (muscles). 

What a good salve does (heels). 

Part of a river (mouth). 

Part of a bell (tongue). 

That which decides a vote (eyes and nose). 

Necessary part of a school (pupil). 

Found in an artist’s outfit (palate). 

Part of a stovepipe (joint). 

What soldiers carry (arms). 

What it does in a hard storm (pores). 

Steps of a country tavern (instep). 

A kind of a boat (skull). 

That which shows the direction of the wind (vein). 

A great achievement (feet). 

A fish (sole). 

A letter furnished with bows (elbows). 

Mode of punishment (lashes). 

A prominent factor in American politics (cheek). 

(47) Appropriate dress materials.— 

What should the artist dress in? (Canvas.) 

What should the gardener wear? (Lawn.) 

What should the dairyman wear? (Cheesecloth.) 

What should the editor wear? (Print.) 

What should the banker wear? (Checks.) 

What should the hunter wear? (Green or duck.) 

What should the hairdresser wear? (Haircloth or net.) 
What should the Scotchman wear? (Plaid.) 


WHEN ALL ARE TO TAKE PART 


31 


What should the prisoner wear? (Stripes.) 

What should the government official wear? (Red tape.) 

What should the minister wear? (Broadcloth.) 

What should the jeweler wear? (Cotton or cloth of gold.) 

What should the undertaker wear? (Crape.) 

What should the barber wear? (Haircloth or mohair.) 

(48) Anagrams.— 

From a box of anagram letters various words may he 
spelled and thoroughly mixed. The contestants have each 
one minute at each bunch of letters, and in that time they 
are to write on cards provided for that purpose the original 
of the word. Sometimes the words may all be names of 
flowers, all geographical names, or all names of historic 
characters. 


IV 


WHEN SOME ENTERTAIN THE OTHERS 

In most groups there are some who are too tired or too 
quiet to enjoy active games all the evening. They would 
rather be amused for part of the time. And there are 
usually several, always some, who enjoy doing the amus¬ 
ing. This sort of entertaining varies from the simple joke, 
or “catch,” in which one leads off, giving everyone else a 
chance to join in or not, as they like, to real dramatic or 
minstrel stunts that take several minutes to perform and 
differ from “entertainments” chiefly in being impromptu. 

1. Tricks. — (49) Spoon photography.— One conspirator 
leaves the room. The company decides whose photograph 
shall be taken. The remaining conspirator holds a silver 
tablespoon before that person’s face and then calls her ac¬ 
complice, who looks intently into the spoon and at the 
different persons. She finally recognizes the likeness. 
Meanwhile the one who “took” the photograph is sitting in 
the same position and imitating all the poses and motions 
of the one whose “picture” was taken. 

(50) Magic questions. —The company decides on a cer¬ 
tain object. The one who left the room returns, and the 
one who remains asks: “Was it this vase?” “Was it this 
rose?” “Was it this chair?” and then, “Was it this?” (the 
object agreed upon), to which the other answers, “Yes.” 
The signal is that something with four legs—chair, dog, 
table, etc.—shall be mentioned immediately preceding the 
proper object. 

(51) Thought waves. —This requires two who are “wise,” 
but no one else in the company must know that there is a 
confederate. One announces that she will leave the room 
while all the rest agree on some number between 11 and 99, 
and when she returns she will be able to tell it without 
asking any special questions—just from their ordinary con¬ 
versation. Between the two “wise” to the trick is an under- 

32 


WHEN SOME ENTERTAIN THE OTHERS 


33 


standing that A means 1, B means 2, and so on for 9 digits. 
The cipher is O. The company agree, say, on “39” and call 
back the guesser. She tells them to go on and converse 
about anything. After a while the confederate says, 
“Couldn’t Mrs. Smith have gone?” and the guesser notes 
that the first figure is “C—3.” A little later the confederate 
answers someone quite naturally, “I wouldn’t, if I were 
you.” As I is the ninth letter, the guesser is safe in saying 
the number is 39. This is very mystifying, as no one 
knows from whom she gets her cue. 

(52) “Crossed or uncrossed,”— The players sit in a 
circle. A pair of scissors is handed along the line. The 
first says to her neighbor, “I received these scissors crossed 
and give them to you uncrossed.” The words refer, how¬ 
ever, to the position of the speaker’s feet, to which the 
seissors are made to correspond. The “unwise” ones in 
the circle will be puzzled at being told “No!” when they 
say they pass the scissors “crossed” when their feet are 
parallel, or vice versa. 

(53) “The moon is round.” —It is not necessary to have 
an accomplice for this. One says, “The moon is round and 
has two eyes, a nose, and a mouth,” making outlines in the 
air to suit the words. She then challenges the others to 
do exactly as she has done. The trick in this consists in 
making the gestures with the left hand. 

(54) “Tommy Tom.”—The leader says, “You can’t do this 
just as I do.” With the forefinger of the right hand she 
touches lightly the thumb of the left, then the first, second, 
and third fingers, while saying “Tommy, Tommy, Tommy, 
Tom”; a slight pause; then touches the little finger (with 
an exaggerated emphasis on the “Lit”) and back through 
the third, second, and first fingers while saying “Little 
Tommy, Tommy, Tom.” Instead of touching the thumb the 
hands are lightly clasped as they fall into her lap. This 
last is the trick. The “unwise” will imitate to that point, 
then usually hold the fingers inquiringly in the air. 

(55) Handkerchief fortune. —Select for the victim the 
one who has been getting the most jokes off on the crowd. 
You announce you can tell fortunes by a handkerchief but 
must have a perfectly fresh one. When someone produces 


34 


GOOD TIMES FOR GIRLS 


such an article you ask the one whose fortune is being told 
to shake it out and then hold the four corners together, 
letting it hang like a bag. Into this you peer and see 
gifts, money, a letter, or anything that is individually ap¬ 
propriate. Then direct the holder to crease the handker¬ 
chief by drawing the left hand down while she still holds 
the corners in her right. From the wrinkles thus made you 
proceed to interpret a long or short journey, guests coming 
by railroad or automobile, etc. Then you say: “The 
creases are not heavy enough to stay; they disappear before 
I can read them. Take the corners in your teeth and make 
the creases with both hands.” While she is doing this, 
you turn to the breathless group of listeners surrounding 
you and say, “Doesn’t she ‘bite’ easily?” 

(56) Mesmerism.— The one who volunteers to be mes¬ 
merized is blindfolded. You tell him you can endow him 
with a sixth sense, so that blindfolded he will know what 
others cannot see. After making a series of passes with 
your hands in front of his face and over his hands lead 
him to the window and have him place his hands very care¬ 
fully with the palms smoothly on the glass. Then you 
inquire, “Do you feel something?” Usually he will reply, 
“No, not yet,” whereupon you ask, “Don’t you feel a pane?” 

(57) “Boots without shoes.”— Offer to initiate into a 
secret society anyone who can correctly give the password. 
The “wise” ones are collected in one room, and the “unwise” 
candidates are in the other. Candidates are admitted one 
at a time. The master of ceremonies, with mincing or ex¬ 
aggerated steps, a series of bows, movements of the hands 
and elbows—anything that occurs to him—steps forward 
to the candidate and says, “Boots without shoes.” The can¬ 
didate is to repeat the password. Success is attained not 
by imitating the motion but by saying the one word 
“boots.” After initiation the candidate remains in the 
room to witness the discomfiture of the next applicant. 

(58) Spiral staircase. —Simply ask the question quietly 
of your neighbor, “What is a spiral staircase?” See if 
anyone will attempt to define it without a spiral motion 
of the hand or forefinger. “What is an accordion?” will 
also bring out the descriptive gesture. One or two persons 


WHEN SOME ENTERTAIN THE OTHERS 


35 


going to the different groups in a general social when 
things have become a little stiff can start much fun with 
these questions. 

2. Athletic stunts. 1 — A girl who is supple enough 
should practice till she can do them; then in a company 
she does one at a time and invites others to try. Begin 
with an easy one that anybody can do. (59) Balance trick. 
—Have the one who tries the thing measure exactly three 
times the length of his own foot out from the wall of the 
room, then stand with heels together facing the wall, and 
stoop forward until the top of his head touches the wall. 
Then place a light stool or taboret about 20 inches high be¬ 
tween him and the wall. The trick is to hold the taboret off 
the floor and at the same time lift the head from the wall. 
A woman generally succeeds in doing this with comparative 
ease, but for some reason the trick is not so easy for a man. 
So ask a woman to do it first; then it is very funny to see 
the man fail. 

(60) Crane dive. —Fold a piece of paper about a foot 
long and stand it upright upon the floor. Hold one foot 
with the opposite hand, reaching across in back. Bend 
down and pick up the paper with the teeth without losing 
the balance. 

(61) Knee dip. —Stand on the right foot, reach behind 
you, and grasp the left foot with the right hand. Go down 
and touch the left knee to the floor and rise again. Do the 
stunt on each foot. 

(62) Fish-hawk dive. —This is done in the same man¬ 
ner as the crane dive except that the foot is not held but 
stretched out behind. Make a quick dip, getting the paper 
in the teeth. 

(63) Full squat. —Clasp hands back of body, palms up, one 
hand under the other, fingers pointing diagonally backward 
in opposite direction. Go down slowly as far as possible, 
keeping back and head erect. Return hands clasped. Re¬ 
peat several times. 

(64) Through stick. —Hold a stick behind you in a hor¬ 
izontal position in both hands, palms forward. Without 

2 Published by courtesy of Miss Ethel Perrin, Superintendent of Physcial 
Education, Detroit Public Schools, and of the Association Monthly. 



36 


GOOD TIMES FOR GIRLS 


letting loose bring it over the head to the front. Have the 
right hand close to the end of the stick. Swing the right 
foot to the right around the right arm and over the stick, 
going over the stick toward the body. Then double forward 
and slide the stick up over the knee and hip, crawl through, 
and end with the stick in front of you. 

(65) The top. —With the arms stretched sideward, jump 
into the air and whirl around to the starting place. 

(66) Chair creeper. —Sit on a chair, so that its back is 
at your right shoulder. Grasping the tip with the left 
hand and the back leg of the chair near the floor with the 
right hand, lie upon your right side and, keeping one leg 
on the seat, crawl around the back of the chair head first 
until you can pick up with your teeth some object, as a 
pencil, from the edge of the seat. 

(67) Wicket walk. —Walk on both hands and feet. Keep 
the knees stiff and the hands close together. 

(68) Bear dance. —Do the squat and extend one leg for¬ 
ward. Keep the arms out or on the hip to help balance. 
Quickly reverse the position of the feet. Keep this up 
rapidly. 

(69) Heel knock. —Jump high into the air, knocking the 
heels together twice, once going up and once coming down. 

(70) Corkscrew. —Place a handkerchief or wad of paper 
upon the floor near the tip of the left foot. Pick this up 
with the right hand by reaching around to the left and in 
front of the body outside the left leg and back, then forward 
between the legs, the fingers reaching around outside the 
left foot to get the paper. 

(71) Stiff-leg bend. —Stand with the heels together and 
the arms stretched over head. Bend the body forward, 
downward, sweeping the arms downward, and touch the 
floor with the finger tips. Keep the knees stiff . 

(72) Jump foot. —Place the foot against the wall about 
12 inches from the floor. Holding it in that position, jump 
over it with the other foot, turning as you jump, so that 
at the finish the back is toward the wall. 

(73) Stiff (wooden man).— One girl lies down on her 
back upon the mat, stretching out absolutely stiff, with her 
arms down at the sides. The second girl lifts her up, 


WHEN SOME ENTERTAIN THE OTHERS 


37 


putting her hands under the back of her head. The girl 
who is being lifted must keep stiff until she can stand erect. 

(74) Jump stick.—Hold a small stick lightly by the 
tips of your fingers. Jump high into the air and over the 
stick while keeping both hands on it. Draw your knees 
well up as you jump. 

(75) Single squat. —Stand on one foot, with the other 
stretched out in front. Sit down upon your heel without 
losing your balance or touching the ground in any way ex¬ 
cept with the foot you started on. Use your arms to bal¬ 
ance and come back to standing position. 

3. Individual stunts.—(76) “The Symphony of the 
Desert.” —A musician with great seriousnes gives the fol¬ 
lowing “spiel”: “Most people do not get all the entertain¬ 
ment possible out of music because they do not recognize 
the story it tells. Take a symphony concert, for example. 
Now, the symphony is merely a series of tone pictures. 
Did you ever hear ‘The Symphony of the Desert’? ( takes a 
baton or pencil). First comes the silence of the desert 
(beats time with great solemnity). In the midst of the 
desert was an oasis with three palm trees. ( With the last 
three words she strikes three notes of a chord in the middle 
of the piano). Underneath the three palm trees ( repeats 
the three notes arpeggio) was a little babbling brook 
( trills one note of the chord). Away off on the edge of the 
desert was a little light gazelle ( a rapid triplet on the three 
highest notes of the keyboard). This little light gazelle 
( repeats the triplet) scented the little babbling brook ( re¬ 
peat the trill) in the midst of the three palm trees ( repeats 
the chord arpeggio) and started for a drink ( rapid triplets 
all the way down the treble). Off at the other side of the 
desert was a great, fierce lion ( strikes the lowest note on 
the piano). This lion scented the little light gazelle ( re¬ 
peats the triplet) and began to roar ( lowest note and its 
octave in rapid succession — loud pedal). Then he started 
for the little light gazelle ( repeats the triplet) to the oasis 
( repeats the chord arpeggio), but the little light gazelle 
( repeats the triplet), which was drinking at the little bab¬ 
bling brook ( repeats the trill) under the three palm trees 
( repeats the chord arpeggio) heard the lion coming toward 


38 


GOOD TIMES FOR GIRLS 


her ( slow octaves up from the bass) and ran fleetly back 
to the outer edge of the desert ( repeats the triplets up the 
treble). So when the lion reached the oasis {chord), there 
were nothing but the three palm trees ( arpeggio) and the 
little babbling brook ( repeats the trill). Angrily the lion 
stalked back to his lair ( octaves down the bass) and roared 
(lowest octave alternated rapidly). And again there was 
nothing left but the little babbling brook ( rapid trill) un¬ 
der the three palm trees ( chord arpeggio) and the silence 
of the desert” ( beats time silently). 

If the conductor of the “symphony” prefers, the lion 
may devour the little light gazelle. Appropriate “tone 
pictures” will readily suggest themselves. 

(77) The doctor and his little white pills. —In telling 
this story the same gesture is repeated each time a certain 
word is used in the story. The narrator proceeds slowly 
and with great gravity. “Once there was a doctor (fingers 
of right hand on left pulse) who made (rolls palms to¬ 
gether) some little (both thumbs and forefingers pinched 
closely together) white (touches collar or anything white 
in costume) pills (one thumb and forefinger holding up 
imaginary pill). He spread them (spreading motion with 
hands) upon the window sill (leans forward over imagi¬ 
nary window sill) to dry (waves hands over imaginary 
pills). Then this doctor (gesture as above) went out 
walking (stepping motion with hands) under the waving 
trees (arms over head, hands waving) to see some patients 
(head drops in hand) who were very ill (both hands on 
stomach). While the doctor (see above) was away, a flock 
of little birds (fingers flutter downward) alighted upon the 
window sill (fingers curved, dropping on imaginary window 
sill) and ate up (thumbs and forefingers picking) all the 
little (see above) white (see above) pills (see above) that 
the doctor (see above) had made. The next day (right 
hand goes underneath left elbow and up, to indicate sunset 
and sunrise) the doctor (see above) once more went out to 
see those patients (see above) of his who were very ill 
(see above) and as he was walking (see above) under the 
waving trees (see above) he saw a flock of little birds lying 
dead (backs of hands fiat, fingers standing stiffly up), and 


WHEN SOME ENTERTAIN THE OTHERS 


39 


then this doctor (see above) knew ( right forefinger know¬ 
ingly on forehead) what had become of all those little ( see 
above) white (see above) pills (see above) he had made’' 
(see above). 

(78) Tlie story of Jonah.— The narrator says: “The 
highest art of the actor is to tell his story with gestures 
alone. Words should be entirely superfluous. That this 
is entirely possible, I will now demonstrate to you. How¬ 
ever, it is necessary that one know something about the 
situation that is to be portrayed; and as it may be some 
time since you heard in Sunday school the story of Jonah, 
I will recall it to your mind. Jonah was commanded to 
go to Nineveh, but refused. He was again commanded and 
to escape the difficulty went down to Joppa and took a ship 
for the west. Very soon a terrific storm arose. He did 
his part, but the sailors accused him of being the Jonah. 
He admitted it and consented to being put overboard. Then 
a great fish swallowed him, but was soon very glad to get 
rid of him by casting him out on the shore. As soon as 
Jonah was again commanded to go to Nineveh he went 
immediately.” The narrator looks solemnly around the 
circle and points a finger at one of the group and then 
points to the east, slowly but determinedly shakes head. 
She repeats, pointing at the same person and then to the 
east, shakes head more rapidly and more determinedly, 
and motions with hands as if walking toward the west. 
She pantomimes pulling out a long purse, counting out 
money, receiving ticket, and (with hands) stepping on 
board over a gangplank. The narrator sinks back in her 
seat comfortably; pantomimes a storm by wildly waving 
her hands overhead to indicate wind, rain, and lightning; 
then makes motions of rowing with great difficulty. She 
looks inquiringly around the circle and again points a 
finger at the same person; nods her head reluctantly and 
points overboard. Her hands lift an imaginary heavy body 
and drop it over the side of an imaginary boat. Her arms 
move as in swimming. A “fish mouth” is opened and 
closed by putting arms and hands together parallel from 
elbows to finger tips, slowly separating them up to the 
elbows, and closing them again. Clasped hands point up- 


40 


GOOD TIMES FOR GIRLS 


ward in a beseeching manner. The “fish mouth” opens 
again very wide in a direction supposed to be the shore. 
The shoulders and head are shaken as if shaking off 
water. The narrator again points with a solemn forefinger 
to the same person and then emphatically toward the east. 
She nods her head emphatically up and down, shrugging 
her shoulders to indicate acquiescence, and makes a rapid 
walking motion of her hands in the direction to which her 
finger had pointed. 

(79) A lettered orator. —A girl goes through all the 
vocal and bodily gestures of an intensely emotional scene 
—an impassioned appeal for a cause or a thrilling narra¬ 
tive—but all she utters is the alphabet—forward, back¬ 
ward, and interspersed with such well-known symbolic let¬ 
ters as S. O. S., Q. E. D., F. O. B., C. O. D., R. S. V. P., 
P. M., A. M., A. D., B. C., W. C. T. U., A. L. A., G. O. P. The 
voice may rise with pleading inflection on “J. K. L. M.” 
and be followed by a thunderous “N. O.” and a conciliatory 
or explanatory “P. Q. R.” 

(80) “Fool young ’urns.” —This depends entirely on the 
ability of the performer to laugh infectiously and uproar¬ 
iously, yet artificially. “There ain’t nothin’ to tell 
(chuckle ). Us young ’uns was just sittin’ on the door step 
{laugh) talkin’ {hearty laughter), and Jim says {long 
laughter), and that {more laughter) set Marne to laughin’ 
{more laughter), and us fool young ’uns {very long laugh¬ 
ter) just sat and {more laughter, wiping tears away; 
takes breath and forces out words) there wasn’t anything 
really funny, and I couldn’t tell you what it was, but {goes 
off into peal after peal, hands on sides, rocking back and 
forth; continues for a minute, then stops instantly). 

(81) A “vaporous” story. —“Have you seen Al?” 
{Someone asks, “Al whof } ) “Alcohol. Kerosene him yes¬ 
terday; ain’t benzine since. Gasolined against the lamp- 
post and took a naptha. Dynamite have run off with 
him.” 

(82) “Rare news.” —One person picks up a newspaper 
and begins to read anything that has fairly long, well- 
punctuated sentences. At the first comma she inserts 
before the pause the word “before”; at the next comma, the 


WHEN SOME ENTERTAIN THE OTHERS 


41 


word “behind”; and so on alternately. Before each semi¬ 
colon or period she reads “before and behind.” The effect 
is very ludicrous, and it takes some time for the listeners 
to realize the cause. 

(83) Imitations. —Someone in the crowd is almost sure 
to have a knack of making unusual sounds that represent 
such things as sawing wood, a butcher sawing a meat 
bone, the calls and cries of various birds and animals, and 
so on. Some may be able to imitate the walk, gestures, or 
voice of persons present or well known to the company. 
Such imitations must always be good-natured and never 
contain anything to hurt sensitive feelings. 

4. Stunts requiring two or more performers.—(84) 
Impromptu dramatics. —The old nursery stories of “Cin¬ 
derella,” “Red Riding-Hood,” “The Three Bears,” etc., and 
many Grimm and Andersen fairy stories lend themselves 
to impromptu acting. So do many popular songs. These 
may be made as funny or as elaborate as the actors wish. 
Of course, the audience should be allowed to guess which 
of their favorite stories is being “told.” 

(85) Cooperative elocution. —Two girls or two boys 
and a doorway with long portieres provide this entertain¬ 
ment. The one who is to do the reciting stands just in 
front of the curtains, which are firmly pinned back of her 
head and back of her hips; her arms are clasped behind 
her. The partner stands behind the curtains and slips her 
arms through and under the reciter’s arms. The second 
person makes all the gestures. Of course, the originality 
and absurdity of the gestures are the fun of the occasion. 
Good pieces to use for this are “Kentucky Belle,” “Curfew 
Shall Not Ring To-Night,” “The Wreck of the Hesperus,” 
and other timeworn favorites. “Jabberwocky” is also 
good. 

(86) Moving pictures. —One girl may be chosen to pre¬ 
sent a moving-picture play. She may call upon as many of 
the company as she needs and be given from three to five 
minutes to prepare her scenario. “Rescue from drowning,” 
“rescue from a runaway,” or any other of the usual thrill¬ 
ing scenes of the film are acted out in pantomime, with 
chairs or boxes, as the case may be, for boat or horse. If 


42 


GOOD TIMES FOR GIRLS 


the young people are habitues of the “movies,” they may 
be asked to name whom the “star” impersonates. 

(87) Film production. —Instead of showing the fin¬ 
ished film story as it appears on the screen there may be 
a “movie studio.” One or more aspiring authors may en¬ 
deavor to persuade the officers of the corporation to accept 
their “masterpieces.” After a scenario is chosen, the pro¬ 
duction manager summons the stars and minor characters, 
the scenic artist insists on changes (which the author re¬ 
sents), and the stars further complicate matters by alter¬ 
ing scenes to suit themselves. A girl with a green sweater 
drawn part way over her upraised arms represents a “tree” 
or a “lonely forest.” A kitchen chair on its back is an 
automobile. The camera man is an important functionary. 
An enameled tin bread box makes an excellent camera, and 
the operator while “taking” the scenes may whirl inside 
it one of the wooden clackers used as a noise^naker. 

(88) Orchestra. —The different instruments of a com¬ 
plete orchestra are assigned to various persons, who are 
arranged in their proper places. There may be no instru¬ 
ments at all, each one simply making the appropriate mo¬ 
tions for violin, trombone, or drum, as the case may be; 
or the instruments may be provided from kitchen and coal 
shed. A funnel may be used for a horn, the lid of a wash 
boiler for a bass viol; and other adaptations may be made 
according to the material available. The important per¬ 
son, as always in an orchestra, is the conductor. He or 
she wields the baton with great vigor and with elaborate 
gestures. The 'pianissimo and fortissimo effects, retards, 
holds, accelerandos, legatos, and staccatos produce an en¬ 
semble that is truly remarkable, whether it is an ear- 
splitting pandemonium or a silent pantomime. 

(89) Human ukuleles. —Four to eight girls stand in a 
circle, leaning forward with heads together. While hum¬ 
ming some popular tune, each strikes her own nose with 
a pinching motion downward in the rhythm of the tune, 
which produces a striking imitation of the ukulele. 

(90) Hypnotism.— This takes a little preliminary prac¬ 
tice on the part of two girls. It is announced that one of 
them is a very good subject and can be hypnotized so that 


WHEN SOME ENTERTAIN THE OTHERS 


43 


she will do whatever the other one tells her to do. The 
“hypnotist” tells the subject to look at her forefinger, held 
six inches in front of her nose, and makes various slow, 
mysterious passes in front of her until, at a preconcerted 
signal, the girl falls back limp in the chair in which she 
sits. The “hypnotist” then touches her shoulders lightly 
and draws her hands upward. The subject, as if pulled 
by an invisible force, rises stiffly from the chair. She fol¬ 
lows the leader's finger, which touches her forehead, with 
eyes open but a blank expression, as if she were a rag doll 
pulled by a string. The operator lets her down upon the 
platform and tells her she is made of wood. Then, putting 
both hands back of the subject’s head the operator lifts her 
to her feet as if she were wooden. (This “stiffening” 
stunt has probably been done by every schoolgirl who 
has normal control of her muscles.) Then the operator 
commands the girl to saw wood, eat ice cream, crochet, or 
do anything else that is either very appropriate or very 
inappropriate to the subject. Every command is obeyed 
in an automatic fashion. A pair of clever girls can keep 
the whole group “roaring” for five minutes. Then the 
operator leads the subject back to her chair, bends her into 
it as if she were a wooden figure, and with a few elaborate 
passes «ays, “Wake up.” The subject apparently comes out 
of a dream, yawns, says, “What time is it?” or “I must go 
to supper,” and goes off the stage. 

(91) Lightning artist.—Announce that a great artist 
is present who can produce almost instantly any picture 
requested. The artist has a paper mounted on a drawing 
board, a pasteboard palette, and a crayon. He faces the 
audience so that they cannot see him work. The exhibitor 
says, “Draw for me the Egyptians chasing the children of 
Israel across the Red Sea.” The artist works busily for a 
minute, then turns the completed “canvas” to the audi¬ 
ence. It is absolutely bare. “Where is the Red Sea?” asks 
the exhibitor. “It has all dried up,” replies the artist. 
“Where are the children of Israel?” “They have passed 
over.” “Where are the Egyptians?” “They have not yet 
arrived.” Next make a request for a meeting of a dog with 
his master just returned from war. When the picture is ex- 


44 


GOOD TIMES FOR GIRLS 


hibited, there is only a perpendicular line, a short line at an 
angle to it about two thirds of the way up, and beneath it, 
on the same side, a little curly line. This the artist ex¬ 
plains by saying: “This is the edge of the door; the soldier 
is just going in; this is his bayonet; this is the dog’s tail. 
Of course, we would not intrude.” The artist next volun¬ 
teers to show a picture entitled “The Sentinel.” Nothing 
is visible but a tree with a large trunk. He explains that 
the sentinel is behind the tree. 

(92) Talking tilt. —The audience is asked to name'the two 
best talkers among the girls present. There are sure to 
be various nominations. Choosing the two who seem to 
have the most votes, you invite them to settle the matter 
of which is the better talker. They may either be given 
a topic like “Suffrage” or “The League of Nations,” with 
one assigned to the affirmative, the other to the negative; 
or each may be told to sell the other some article of mer¬ 
chandise. They talk simultaneously and absolutely con¬ 
tinuously. The leader, watch in hand, stops them at the 
end of two minutes, and the audience is to decide which 
has talked the more continuously and loudly. Neither 
should stop for breath or to laugh. 

(93) Take-offs. —A mock faculty meeting or a mock 
club or committee meeting, if the participants are good 
mimics, and care is taken to keep the thing in good taste 
and good humor, may afford any amount of fun and 
laughter. 


V 


ENTERTAINMENTS REQUIRING SOME PREPARA¬ 
TION 

A large crowd is generally more easily managed if the 
evening is divided between a getting-acquainted period and 
one in which all are seated as an audience for a carefully 
planned program. This planning does not mean elaborate 
entertainment but does involve procuring beforehand all 
the required “properties” and doing enough rehearsing 
so those who take part will be able to restrain their own 
laughter. Some of The things here suggested have been 
successfully used both in informal church socials and in 
money-raising entertainments in church, Y. W. C. A., pub¬ 
lic-school, and college groups. 

(94) Shadow pantomime. —The necessary “properties” 
are a full-sized white sheet, a lamp or electric light on a 
cord, and a tin or silver-glass reflector. A story or a narra¬ 
tive poem is read, the actors standing behind the sheet and 
making exaggeratedly appropriate gestures. Newspapers, 
cardboard, cotton, and raveled rope or yarn will produce all 
needed “properties” from hair and beard to waves of the 
sea, or sun, moon, and stars. A fine wire just back of the 
curtain will permit the sun or moon to be suspended but 
itself will be invisible. A little practice in keeping the 
shadow outlines clear and distinct will make it possible 
to produce very funny pictures. “The Ballad of Mary 
Jane,” in the St. Nicholas Book of Plays, which can be 
found in almost any public library, is an excellent one to 
give. “George Washington and the Cherry Tree,” “Paul 
Revere’s Ride” (on a hobby horse), “Clementine” (from 
the old college song), and many others will suggest them¬ 
selves. 

(95) Waxworks. —The principal requirement for the 
successful carrying out of this stunt is a group of young 
people who can hold their muscles rigid for several minutes 

45 


46 


GOOD TIMES FOR GIRLS 


at a stretch and who can for the same length of time re¬ 
frain from laughing in the most ridiculous situations. The 
showman first arrives upon the scene and gives numerous 
directions to the stage hands, who then firing in the wax 
figures one at a time—on a wheelbarrow, or pulled in by 
the chair on which they are seated, or picked up bodily by 
shoulders and heels and carried in. After considerable 
changing about the exhibit is satisfactory to the showman, 
who then proceeds to tell the history of each character and 
(with a dover egg-beater) to wind up each in turn. Each 
“waxwork” then goes through with the mechanical words 
and motions with which the figure has been endowed. 
Washington, in full general’s uniform, chops his cherry 
tree and repeats his immortal statement of personal limi¬ 
tations; a second winding starts him on his farewell ad¬ 
dress, which runs down in the middle and cannot be made 
to go on. Henry VIII proposes to Cleopatra, Joan of Arc, 
and any other figure before whom he is wound up. A 
French doll says, “Mamma,” “Papa,” “Please,” and “Thank 
you” when the proper button in her back is pushed, while 
the exhibitor expatiates on the beauty of her “real” curls 
and her Parisian clothes. The idea of the waxworks is a 
very old one, but every group of young people can work 
out through it much cleverness and originality. 

(96) Living magazine.— The usual contents of a pop¬ 
ular magazine are acted out more or less elaborately. One 
group evolved a half-hour entertainment with only two or 
three hours’ notice. First came the cover—a really beauti¬ 
ful living picture posed with some dark-colored curtains 
arranged behind to represent the outline of the magazine. 
Next came the short story—a very thrilling romance. This 
was acted out by hero and heroine, while a voice from 
behind the stage read the paragraphs. Just in the most 
critical place in the plot the “page was turned,” and the 
serial began. The reader gave the synopsis in a sentence 
or two, and then the chapter was read, while two or three 
illustrations were posed. This was interrupted by three 
or four advertisements in tableaux which were quite un¬ 
mistakable. A popular-science article came next, and the 
invention it described and illustrated was nothing short 


ENTERTAINMENTS REQUIRING PREPARATION 47 


of marvelous. More advertisements, and then the portrait 
of a prominent local celebrity, with a highly adorned ac¬ 
count of his rise from poverty given by the unseen reader. 
Next came a column of the interrupted short story, an ad¬ 
vertisement, the final column, and, interspersed between 
advertisements, the remainder of the month's installment 
of the serial. A fashion page, two or three jokes (very 
practical jokes they were!), and a cartoon, with more 
advertisements, completed the magazine. There is limit¬ 
less opportunity for clever and witty parody both on pop¬ 
ular magazine style and make-up and on local situations. 

(97) Dramatized stories. — Dramatizations of many 
favorite stories are published, but those which are evolved 
by a club or class are generally more clever and always 
more fun. Take “Alice in Wonderland,” for example. The 
mock turtle and the Cheshire cat, the Duchess and her 
pig baby, Father William and the young man, the white 
rabbit, the March hare, and the caterpillar with its hookah 
are all surprisingly possible to produce in costume and 
are very effective. Humpty-Dumpty is easily made with a 
barrel hoop and a straight tube of white cloth. The latter 
is stretched to the hoop at the center and gathered with 
elastic to the neck and ankles, with pillows and tissue 
paper to fill out the egg contour. A tall stepladder makes 
a good “wall,” on which Humpty-Dumpty must be safely 
settled before the curtain goes up. A small-sized girl with 
long, fair hair can be made into a perfect likeness of Alice 
of the Peter Teniel illustrations. The various incidents 
may be chosen so as to make a sort of plot, or there may 
be merely a series of tableaux with their appropriate 
recitations. 

“Little Women,” “Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm,” “Polly- 
anna,” “The Peterkins,” “Daddy Longlegs,” “Mrs. Wiggs of 
the Cabbage Patch,” “The Little Colonel,” and “Patty” are 
suggestions of favorite stories that are easy to tell in orig¬ 
inal, homemade dramatization. 

(98) Bible stories are particularly well adapted for 
dramatizing. Among those which may be worked out by 
girls alone are the stories of Ruth, Esther, Miriam and the 
little Moses, and Hannah and little Samuel. The maid 


48 


GOOD TIMES FOR GIRLS 


captured by the Syrians can be shown in the women’s 
quarters of Naaman’s house, hearing of her master’s trouble 
and telling of the Hebrew prophet. 

Girls from twelve to sixteen are just as fond of drama¬ 
tising as are older girls or younger children and do it 
quite as well. But they will have to choose things they 
can do by themselves; because while younger and older 
boys like dramatics, boys of their own age rarely can be 
persuaded to take part with girls. However, in Bible 
stories the boys’ costumes are easily made from a full- 
width sheet and a colored blanket or couch cover; and a 
raveled rope beard can be used for the patriarchal char¬ 
acters, and if the hair does not come below the shoulders 
it can be powdered and left flowing. Study good pictures 
to see the way the draperies are arranged and copy details 
carefully. 

Effective (99) missionary stories can be worked up. 
From various scenes and incidents in the current mission¬ 
ary magazines girls alone can give scenes tracing the life 
of the little girl in India from her mother or mother-in- 
law’s zenana to the mission school, and then to professional 
school, and her later work in school or hospital among her 
own people. The story of a Chinese girl who comes to an 
American university and goes back to be a power in her 
own land may show amusing scenes where the health in¬ 
formation from the missionary teachers, authorized by vil¬ 
lage officials, meets old superstitions; also, where a Euro¬ 
pean traveler who does not know what missionaries do 
finds Chinese young women teaching Swedish gymnastics 
and tennis. A biography like that of Mary Slessor of Cala¬ 
bar would furnish a highly dramatic plot. 

(100) Illustrated readings. —These are the old-fash¬ 
ioned “living pictures,” or tableaux vivantes; but everyone 
enjoys them, and they may be made very beautiful. Groups 
of girls who have little time for evolving a play from a 
book or for the memorizing necessary in a readymade play 
may very easily take part in these pictures. Another ad¬ 
vantage is that a great many may take part, and everyone 
may be a “star.” Much depends on the reader, who must 
speak so everyone can hear distinctly and who must also 


ENTERTAINMENTS REQUIRING PREPARATION 49 


bring out the beauty of the story. Some that have proved 
particularly effective for this use are “Enoch Arden,” “The 
Legend of Fair Women,” “That Old Sweetheart of Mine,” 
“Hiawatha,” “Christmas Carol,” and “The Birds’ Christ¬ 
mas Carol.” The story of a “family album” can be ob¬ 
tained, or an original one written. 

A pretty set of pictures is called (101) “The Seven 
Ages of Woman”: 

Scene 1 .—A baby’s cradle, daintily draped, in which a 
big doll can be the “baby.” A young mother or a white- 
draped angel may bend over the cradle. A low-crooned 
lullaby should be given behind the scenes during this 
picture. 

Scene 2 .—A little maid daintily dressed, sitting in a 
child’s chair, rocking her doll. Music w T ith this, a kinder¬ 
garten dolly song. 

Scene 3 .—A schoolgirl with banner and books. Music, a 
march played in quick time upon the piano. 

Scene 4-—A young woman in evening gown, standing, 
holding a mirror, and questioning her fate on Halloween. 
Music, “The Sweetest Story Ever Told.” 

Scene 5 .—A young lady gowned as a bride, with veil and 
flowers. Music, wedding march from “Lohengrin.” 

Scene 6 .—A young woman representing a mother, seated 
in a chair and holding a large doll dressed to simulate a 
child. Music, a lullaby. 

Scene 7.—The grandmother, with silver hair and book, 
seated in an easy chair. Music, “Auld Lang Syne.” 

(102) Peter Newell’s cartoons may furnish the main 
entertainment for an evening. The best singer obtainable 
is costumed in any characteristic Peter Newell garb that 
is most becoming. She sings the rimes to any music to 
which they can be readily adjusted. There is no continu¬ 
ity; simply one picture after another is shown as the rime 
is sung. The pictures are chosen according to the prefer¬ 
ence and ingenuity of the girls taking part. This might 
be followed by some of the current cartoons of “Bud” 
Fisher, Webster, or McKee by the boy friends of the girls 
taking part. 


VI 


SPECIAL-FEATURE PROGRAMS 

The anniversaries and holidays have gathered around 
themselves appropriate things to do which have become 
almost as traditional as the tree and Santa Claus at 
Christmas. We would feel as if something were missing 
if they were omitted, yet repetition gets tiresome unless 
some new variations are introduced. Here are a few 
samples of combining old and new which will suggest still 
other things to the good-times committee. 

Again, it sometimes seems a long while between special 
occasions, and the “general” or “miscellaneous” program 
gets monotonous. Here are some programs that have been 
successfully carried out which were built around some 
special idea. 

(103) Common-sense social. —This title puns two ideas 
—the common “sense” (touch, taste, sight, etc.) and com¬ 
mon “cents.” This is appropriate for a general group for 
which no special invitations need be prepared. If it is 
used, however, for helping to finance some project of the 
class or group, the invitations may ask people to show how 
much common “sense” they have by how many common 
“cents” they can collect or save to bring with them to 
the party in receptacles provided with the invitations. 

When all have assembled, the leader announces that 
she wishes to divide the group according to their best 
sense. She explains that when she says a word, after the 
signal “Now!” each is to fix in memory whatever first 
comes to mind. An instant’s silence; then the word “dog” 
is announced. The leader asks: “How many of you can 
tell me how the fur of the dog which came to your mind 
feels? Hands up!” Ask these to gather together in a 
given corner of the room. “How many of you heard the 
dog bark?” These are similarly assembled. “How many 
of you can tell me the size and color of the dog?” This 

BO 


SPECIAL-FEATURE PROGRAMS 


51 


group is usually so large that a second test must he given. 
Again give the signal and say, “Rose.” “How many of 
you could taste a rose confection?” “Which of you could 
smell it?” This will usually divide two more groups, 
leaving the “eye-minded” ones, who see only the size and 
color of the rose, by themselves. Eye, ear, nose, tongue, 
and finger groups are now assigned to different rooms or 
corners, for sense games. Each group, after finishing its 
first test, proceeds to another set, so that all have all of 
the fun. 

The “sight” table contains a covered tray. Each person 
is given a sheet of paper and a pencil. The cover is to be 
removed from the tray for ten seconds, and each is to 
observe its contents (twenty objects will be sufficient). The 
cover is replaced at the end of the time, and each person 
is to write down the names of all the objects she can 
remember. 

At the “smell” table well-corked bottles are numbered, 
and each person is allowed to sniff at an uncovered bottle 
for a few seconds, then to write down upon his paper the 
name of the odor corresponding to the number on the 
bottle. A good list is camphor, ground coffee, peppermint, 
violet and heliotrope perfumes, dried rose leaves, a piece 
of sandalwood, whole cloves, stick cinnamon, and shaved 
bar soap. 

At the “hearing” table there are ten small pasteboard 
boxes all exactly alike. These are numbered and sealed 
with stickers. Each is to write down as before what each 
box contains. Each person is allowed to shake the boxes 
and to hold them close to the ear. A good list is matches, 
cork, buttons (steel or bone), brass tacks, an empty spool, 
a penny, a nickel, marbles, and small pieces of broken 
glass (spectacle lens, watch crystal, or anything of the 
sort). 

At the “taste” table each takes the taste blindfolded and 
with cotton in nostrils. The assistants check up on the 
cards that have been prepared beforehand with the names 
of the substances what each one thought it to be. Each 
is given with a fork a small slice of raw potato, turnip, 
sweet potato, and of apple, pear, pineapple, or other season- 


52 


GOOD TIMES FOR GIRLS 


able fruit; small pieces of chocolate and maple candy, and 
a pinch of sugar. 

At the “touch” table the test is also taken blindfolded. 
Each person is handed or has his fingers guided to touch a 
penny, a dime, a lump of coal, a lump of sugar, and a 
lump of hard salt. They may also touch (with fingertips 
only) saucers filled .with sand, salt, granulated sugar, corn- 
meal, and flour. A leather strap and a piece of frayed rope 
are drawn through their curved hands. The attendants 
write for each the identifications they make. If the players 
are healthy and fun-loving and not subject to hysterics, the 
last object to be touched may be a kid glove filled with 
sand and soaked in cold water. 

The participants will be very much interested in com¬ 
paring their scores. A big sheet of paper or a blackboard 
may be used to compare the points of the different groups. 
The first group, who were consciously “touch-minded,” and 
the fifth group, who seemed to be wholly “eye-minded,” may 
prove, after all, to use their other senses as effectively as 
the one they thought their best. 

The “geographical sense” may also be tested by asking 
them to name countries by an outline map, by pictures of 
scenery, costumes, and customs, by curios, etc. A good 
many will be confused between China and Japan or between 
Persia and India in Oriental art objects if some are ob¬ 
tained for this display. 

An amusing stunt, which is really an observation test, 
is to ask each to write down a description of someone 
well known to all, such as the Sunday-school superinten¬ 
dent or a high-school teacher or the chaperon of the party. 
The person will of course have disappeared just before 
this test. The questions should include the color of hair 
and eyes, description of glasses if worn, on which side the 
hair is parted, and the color of the dress or suit worn that 
evening or regularly worn in school. After the descrip¬ 
tions have been made, the papers may be exchanged, and 
the person will appear. The papers are then corrected 
amidst much hilarity by checking up with the person be¬ 
fore them. 

(104) “A penny for your thoughts” or “Are you 


SPECIAL-FEATURE PROGRAMS 


cents-able?”—Each guest is given a one-cent piece (old 
issue) and asked to find on it all the objects named on the 
accompanying card: 

Messenger (one cent). 

Piece of armor (shield). 

Fruit (dates). 

A devoted young man (bow). 

Part of a hill (brow). 

Spring flowers (tulips). 

Weapons (arrows). 

First American (Indian). 

Emblem of victory (laurel). 

Animal (hare). 

Two sides of a note (face and back). 

Emblem of royalty (crown). 

A way of expressing matrimony (United States). 

Part of a river (mouth). 

Found in school (pupil). 

Part of a store (counter). 

Plenty of assurance (cheek). 

A cry of victory (liberty). 

Implements for writing (quills). 

Means of penetration (eyes). 

An ancient punishment (stripes). 

Means of inflicting it (lashes). 

A beverage (T). 

To protect (shield). 

Two sides to a vote (eyes and nose—ayes and noes). 

Place of worship (temple). 

Subject of song and poem (America). 

Refreshments might well be served cafeteria style with 
prices marked in odd cents—one, two, three, six, seven, 
twelve, etc.—rather than in nickels and dimes. 

(105) April-Fool party. —If invitations are used, they 
may be decorated with a jester’s cap and bells or with a 
little outline head in a fool’s cap. The most suitable pro¬ 
gram is a series of jokes and fake tricks. Members of the 
reception committee may show a loose thread hanging 
from the seam of blouse or coat and a button dangling by 
one thread. The thread is attached to a spool inside the 
blouse, so that whoever picks off the thread keeps pulling 
and pulling. The single thread that holds the button is 
fastened around the inside the dress and at the collar or 
front fastening so that it can be let out as the unwary 


54 


GOOD TIMES FOR GIRLS 


person fingers the button and be pulled back suddenly in 
place. Partners may be tied together with strings, each 
pair to disentangle themselves before refreshments are 
served. Some guest may drop a pocketbook, and the finder 
will find it fastened by stout linen thread, which pulls it 
away as he stoops for it. 

Various forms of entertainment may be in separate 
booths, so that each one who enters may be innocent of 
the trick in that booth. Contestants may throw quoits for 
a penny that is in plain sight on the floor but proves to be 
nailed down when the winner goes to pick it up. In an¬ 
other booth a row of dolls may be hung. A guest is told 
to choose the one she wishes to keep. She is then blind¬ 
folded, turned around three times, and told to put her 
finger upon the chosen doll. Wherever she puts her finger, 
an attendant is ready with a cup of soft library paste, into 
which the finger is stuck. For the general entertainment 
a sleight-of-hand performance is appropriate. Or a group 
may prepare a marionette entertainment. These are an 
elaboration of the “dwarf” described on pages 63 and 64 of 
Icebreakers. (Other appropriate stunts are suggested in 
numbers 47, 50, 51, 53, 54, 55.) Refreshments are to be 
ordered d la carte from a list that involves much guessing. 
Enough of the viands are real, so that the guests will be 
satisfied and comfortable; but enough are fakes, so that a 
great deal of laughter is caused. 

(106) Cclejiial party.—This is always popular at the 
celebration of Washington’s Birthday. George and Martha 
may receive, or Mesdames Washington, Adams, Jefferson, 
Hamilton, and others may be the hostesses and guests of 
honor, to whom all the others make their proper curtsy and 
greetings. For a party at which the guests are all girls 
half of them make delightful “Georges” by wearing gym¬ 
nasium bloomers, turning an ordinary suit coat so that 
the bright-colored lining is on the outside, and using the 
customary lace stock and frills at the wrist. 

A bright-colored silk petticoat and a soft silk kimono of 
contrasting color are to be found in every girl’s wardrobe 
and form the foundation of a charming Martha Washington 
dress. The kimono is held in place at the waist with a 


SPECIAL-FEATURE PROGRAMS 


55 


broad ribbon girdle, and the loose-flowing part is pinned 
in puffy panniers. The sleeves may be tacked up to short 
length with little pleats on the inside seam, and ribbon 
bands or lace frills basted on the edge. With a fichu collar 
fastened with a large brooch or cameo pin, and silver-paper 
buckles on the pumps, the costume is complete. Powdered 
hair and tiny black beauty patches add the finishing 
touches. 

Most boys have knickerbockers of some sort. Stocks and 
frills of lace or even of crape paper basted into the front 
and sleeves of a sack coat give sufficient distinction to the 
garb. 

A shadow pantomime beginning with the cherry tree 
and ending with the surrendering of Cornwallis (who may 
depart in an airplane) may be exceedingly funny. Often 
some one is clever enough to write up the story in rime. 

It is of course customary to use red, white, and blue 
for decorations. A variation for a colonial party is to use 
the colonial colors of buff and dark blue. Little souvenirs 
may be made by folding pieces of buff and blue paper 4 by 6 
inches into cocked hats. Washington’s Birthday could 
hardly be properly celebrated without the presence of a 
cherry tree. One may be improvised from almost any 
material on hand. Cranberries strung upon a rubber 
plant have served very well. For the refreshments plain 
cookies may be cut in hatchet form. A tinner will make 
such a cutter if one cannot be easily obtained at a store. 
At one party enormous cherries with red tissue paper cover 
and green paper leaves were taken from the tree by the 
guests, who were asked to eat them. When the paper was 
removed, the cherries proved to be popcorn balls. 

The guests may be divided into two camps and called 
the British and the Colonials. The individual scores in the 
contests and guessing games that follow may be added 
together to decide the victory between the camps. At the 
close of the contest the captain of the victors brings forth 
a large cardboard hatchet and proceeds to “bury the 
hatchet” with appropriate rites. The winners of the larg¬ 
est individual scores in the various contests may be 
called upon for appropriate impromptu orations during 


56 


GOOD TIMES FOR GIRLS 


this ceremony. This may bring out some clever talent and 
help to conserve the feeling of friendship for other nations 
which replaced the old attitude of rivalry with the “mother 
country.” 

A romance of the colonial period may be acted im¬ 
promptu, or with a younger group such a story may be 
found or written beforehand and used as a “kaleidoscope 
story,” described in number (23). 

Another form of colonial party deals with the (107) 
country merry-makings. The Puritan costumes may 
easily be copied, or merely indicated by caps and fichus for 
the girls and broad white collars and cocked hats of stiff 
paper for the boys. There may be contests in winding yarn 
into balls, in apple paring, and in quilting. The quilt is a 
real one in old-fashioned frames. Someone who knows 
how should supervise the young people in either quilting 
or tying. The quilt should be given to some family or 
institution. The yarn may be sent to a home for elderly 
women who cannot afford the material for their knitting. 
The apple-paring contest is to see who can peel an entire 
apple without breaking the paring. The apples serve as 
part of the refreshments. Popcorn and nuts are sufficient 
in addition. Shelling and popping the corn and cracking 
the nuts and picking them out whole furnish additional 
possibilities for contests among the boy guests. The party 
may close with a spelling match or singing school. If 
candles are used for light, it will add to the realism. The 
winners may receive little hatchets, candy cherries, or rosy 
apples as inexpensive and appropriate souvenirs. 

(108) Children’s party.—This is appropriate only for 
a group of girls alone. Much of the fun is in dressing up. 
Embroidered night dresses and dainty white petticoats with 
broad sashes make bewitching little child dresses. One 
small college freshman was wheeled to a party in a real 
baby carriage. She wore a little cap and “first short 
clothes” and said “mamma” and “da da” and was altogether 
a most realistic infant. Most of the “children,” however, 
probably will go back to the ages between three and six. 
Rattles, drums, and paper dolls, kindergarten games and 
“speaking pieces,” provide the recreation. (109) Soap 


SPECIAL-FEATURE PROGRAMS 


57 


bubbles are good fun. Large and durable ones can be 
produced from a mixture made from boiling half an ounce 
of shaved castile soap in a pint of water, with one tea¬ 
spoonful of glycerine added after cooling, and thoroughly 
shaken. Animal crackers, cookies, or gingerbread dolls, 
a glass of milk, and striped peppermint candy provide re¬ 
freshments. 

(110) Poverty party. —This suggests its own program. 
The costumes must indicate extreme poverty, and usually 
fines are collected for any such inappropriate acts as 
wearing a ring or using a gold collar button instead of 
a piece of string. The refreshments may consist of soup, 
hardtack, coffee, and eggless, sugarless, and butterless 
cake. The coffee should be served in tin cups, and napkins 
and tablecloth dispensed with. It will be wise to use this 
only as a preliminary to some real service that will allevi¬ 
ate poverty. It might be used as the entertainment at a 
sewing bee, in which a club makes baby outfits, or at which 
boys and girls pack for shipment the outgrown garments 
they have collected for European refugees. Care must be 
taken that the guests are not made to feel that poverty is 
something to be played at and taken lightly. The natural 
reaction is, “What if we really had nothing else to wear?” 
and there should be outlet provided for the sympathy 
aroused for those who have been deprived of what should 
be theirs. 

(111) Library party. —Each one is requested to come 
dressed to represent the title of some book. There is no 
limit to the ingenuity and cleverness that may be dis¬ 
played. Sometimes at a musical event song titles are used 
instead of books. At one party a girl whose dress was 
covered with pictures of men of all ages and races and 
periods of history steadfastly denied that her title was “All 
Sorts and Conditions of Men.” The crowd finally gave it 
up; whereupon she announced that it was “Hymns 
(Hims) Ancient and Modern”! At another such party 
someone had very cleverly rinied a romance involving 
the titles of twenty or thirty books, including most of the 
popular best sellers. Each guest was given a leaflet con¬ 
taining this romance without the titles, which had to be 


58 


GOOD TIMES FOR GIRLS 


supplied to complete the verses. Number (43) is suitable 
for use here also. Each guest may be asked to bring a 
book she has enjoyed and is willing to pass on. These 
may be sent to some local institution or to the English- 
speaking nurses and doctors in a hospital on the foreign 
field. Such a program as this is appropriate also for inter¬ 
department banquets in the church school. The menu may 
then have clever titles or well-known quotations for each 
item, and the program of toasts will find appropriate senti¬ 
ments in the library catalogue. 

(112) Cat-and-dog party.— This may be either a cos¬ 
tume party or an entertainment. A close cap of black, 
white, or gray velvet or wool plush, with ears of the same 
material and a few broom straws fastened by court plaster 
across the upper lip, makes a very good cat’s head. Dogs 
are more individualistic, and each may use his own in¬ 
genuity in representing a collie or a fox terrior or a hound. 
Boys may take the part of dogs and girls of cats. If a few 
are to furnish entertainment for a crowd, the cat costume 
may be completed with black velvet tights or trousers, 
black coat, white gloves and slippers, and white shirt 
front. An umbrella case stuffed with cotton or tissue paper, 
with a whalebone run down the entire length, makes a 
remarkably lifelike tail. A strong thread may be fastened 
at the tip and drawn up through the waistband, where the 
tail is fastened, and around to the pockets, where it can 
be manipulated so that the tail will lash or arch over 
the back or wiggle provokingly at the tip according to 
feline emotion. In this case a dog mask can be made, and 
a costume of plush cloth evolved. On the program the 
following material for cats and dogs should alternate: 

Dogs.—(a) Origin; first animal tamed by man; his first 
companion in hunting, etc. 

(b) Varieties and their special usefulness (sheep collie, 
Saint Bernard, etc.). 

(c) Their character and intelligence. Incidents can be 
found especially in Jack London, Dr. Grenfell, and in dog- 
hero books known to children. 

( d ) Stories of famous dogs: Bob, Son of Battle; A Gen¬ 
tleman Vagabond. 

Cats. —(a) Cats in history; worshiped by Egyptians; the 
battle won by sacred cats. 


SPECIAL-FEATURE PROGRAMS 


59 


(Z>) Description of the most beautiful varieties (with 
pictures, if possible): Chinchilla, Angora, Persian, Manx, 
Tortoise Shell, Maltese, Tiger, Orange, and Tabby. 

(c) The character and intelligence of cats (refuting base 
slanders), with incidents of their affection, loyalty, and 
sense. 

( d ) Stories of cats of famous persons: mayor of London; 
Ben Jonson, etc. See Jerome K. Jerome’s Idle Thoughts 
Concerning Cats and Dogs and Agnes Repplier’s essay. 

A beautiful volume Concerning Cats may be found in 
some libraries. It contains two metrical versions of the 
“Kilkenny Cats” and some famous epitaphs and apprecia¬ 
tions. The guests may match impromptu stories from their 
personal observation of the intelligence, sagacity, and 
fidelity of their own pet cats and dogs. 

(113) Progressive cat is a form of the Ollapodrida de¬ 
scribed in (25), suitable for use in a cat-and-dog party. 
Each guest carries her card from table to table and keeps 
her score by drawing cats in the kindergarten way. One 
point is recorded by the large circle for the body; the sec¬ 
ond point adds the smaller circle for the head; the third 
point permits the head to be finished with ears, eyes, and 
whiskers; the fourth adds legs and tail. The card contain¬ 
ing the most completed cats determines the winner, who 
may receive a pretty post card of a cat. At one party the 
girl whose collection of cats each lacked limbs or even head 
was given a small bottle of catsup with the hope that next 
time she would ketchup. 

(114) Mother-Goose party.— If invitations are to be 
general they may be mimeographed in some such form as 
this: In a little outline sketch at one side Mother Goose 
seems to be saying: 

“If I be I, as I think I be, 

I have many children I’d like to see. 

Little Jack Horner and Little Boy Blue, 

Come dressed as you used to be in our old shoe. 

Little Miss Muffet and Little Bo Peep, 

All of the rest of you, long asleep, 

I’ve swept the cobwebs out of the sky, 

Come back as you used to be—won’t you please try?” 

In a smaller party the characters to be taken may be 


60 


GOOD TIMES FOR GIRLS 


assigned in the individually worded invitations. The 
teacher or other chaperon should be dressed as Mother 
Goose and receive in front of a realistic shoe, which can be 
made of two or three large drygoods boxes covered with 
gray carpet felt or tan builder’s paper. Each guest repre¬ 
sents her character in pantomime and costume. Peter 
keeps running after his trixy wife with a yellow cardboard 
pumpkin rind. Jack Horner exhibits his (cardboard) pie 
with torn crust and a (dried prune) plum on his extended 
thumb. Bo Peep, with a ribbon-hound crook, looks every¬ 
where for her sheep. Each guest may wear a number and 
write on a numbered card provided for the purpose the 
names of all the other characters she is able to guess. At 
refreshment time Simple Simon may bring in the Pieman, 
who will let all taste his wares without a penny. Miss 
Muffet’s “curds and whey” may be a big punch bowl of 
fruit juice. 

(115) Travel party.—“Let’s pretend” is the key to this 
sort of a good time. The journey may be anywhere, from 
a summer conference to the moon; and the mode of travel 
by railroad, automobile, or airplane. Suppose a group in 
the Middle West decides to “go” to a summer camp con¬ 
ference in the Adirondacks. When the guests arrive they 
find themselves in front of a railroad ticket office, from 
which they purchase (for the “real” price in “paper” money 
provided by the benevolent committee) a return ticket with 
all the coupons and stopovers. They pass on into a room 
in which the chairs are arranged as in a Pullman, each 
two double seats facing each other and an aisle between. 
Much fun is occasioned by the “fussy” ones, the “timid” 
ones, those who won’t share their seats with strangers, 
the one who forgets everything from ticket to handker¬ 
chief, and others who enter into the play spirit of the' 
evening. A conductor, a brakeman who raises and lowers 
windows and turns heat on or off in an attempt to suit 
everybody, a train boy selling magazines and “chorklets,” 
and a special tourists’ guide who conducts the party, can 
all do amusing and entertaining things. The guide calls 
attention to features of the passing landscape (good post¬ 
card views may be passed during these descriptions). Usu- 


SPECIAL-FEATURE PROGRAMS 


61 


ally a stopover is made at Niagara Falls, and the guide con¬ 
ducts the party to see the Horseshoe Falls (a horseshoe is 
solemnly dropped upon the floor in the kitchen), the “Cave 
of the Winds” (down cellar with the wind blowing from an 
open window or a concealed bellows), and to ride on the 
“Maid of the Mist” (to the kitchen again, where the hot 
water, running from the faucet or tea-kettle, makes a 
cloud of steam). One party went through in the night and 
couldn’t see the Falls, so they heard them. “Change cars 
at Albany,” and all get out and go into the hall, where 
they walk past (post-card pictures of) the great capitol 
building and the Hudson River steamers for New York, 
and back to the “Pullman,” which may now become a din¬ 
ing car, where refreshments are served. The next stopover 
is at Saratoga, when all go to sample the mineral springs 
(which taste surprisingly like lemonade). The boat trip 
up lake or river may be quickly made, pointing out the 
most important of the (post-cards) scenery. Then comes 
the arrival at the conference grounds, and a typical day’s 
program under the guidance of those who have attended. 
The return ticket may call for passage by airplane, and all 
put on their wraps and leave for the “hangar” and are 
instantly back in their home town. 

If this party goes from one coast to the other it may 
while away the tedious “day trip through the plains” by 
playing (116) “train of thought.” The train boy pro¬ 
vides pencils and paper with lines numbered from one 
to fifteen or twenty, according to the time available. The 
conductor announces one word, which each writes a£ 
“No. 1.” Then, in silence, each writes upon the remaining 
lines the words that represent her “train of thought.” Then 
the conductor asks what “station” each has arrived at (the 
last word) and what “connections” she made on the trip 
(the intervening words). 

(117) Com party.—This is good for later autumn. Only 
the committee should know the plans, and they must not 
tell but keep the guests curious. Decorate with festoons 
of red, white, black, and yellow ears braided by the husks 
and with string of kernels (softened with lye so a needle 
and thread can be used) and of popcorn. Have a shelling 


62 


GOOD TIMES FOR GIRLS 


contest with popcorn, which is later put up in parcels to 
send to a children’s home in a large city. Give each guest 
five kernels to be dropped at arm’s length into a narrow¬ 
necked vase standing on the floor. Have relay races carry¬ 
ing ten kernels on a silver knife blade without spilling. 
Try out the winners in this contest in a race eating popcorn 
from suspended strings. They must pull off the kernels 
with their lips and teeth, keeping their hands clasped be¬ 
hind them. Refreshments may vary according to the num¬ 
ber of guests and the climate. If a supper is to be served, 
appropriate dishes are hulled corn and milk, hot corn 
muffins and Karo syrup, hominy with bacon and cream 
gravy, salad with corn-oil mayonnaise, baked Indian pud¬ 
ding. Or a “mush-and-milk” supper or a corn chowder may 
be followed by making and eating popcorn balls. Earlier 
in the summer a group of girls could give a day to can¬ 
ning or drying sweet corn from one or more gardens that 
have gotten “just right all at once,” and the boys invited 
in to eat roasting ears around a garden bonfire in the 
evening. 

(118) Easter party. —The Easter vacation is in many 
communities a time for reunion of the home young folks 
with the boys and girls who have been away at school. 
This may be one of the “specially nice” parties. The home 
girls may send the invitations in eggshells, each in a tiny 
basket: “May we count on you for the party we are hatch¬ 
ing for Easter Monday?” The house or the church parlor 
may be decorated in yellow and white, with Easter lilies 
and yellow paper butterflies in the places of honor, and 
the “bunnies” and chicks utilized in the games. There 
may be (119) an “egg hunt” for egg-shaped papers, which 
are later tied together, through perforations all ready 
made, with yellow ribbon into little booklets. Each is to 
get every page “decorated” with a drawing, an autograph, 
or a sentence from a different guest, which makes valued 
souvenirs. A nest may be placed on a small table at one 
end of the room, and each guest in turn blindfolded and 
turned about three times and then permitted to restore to 
this nest one of the tiny cotton chicks. Those who suc¬ 
ceed may be rewarded with a small chocolate egg. 


SPECIAL-FEATURE PROGRAMS 


63 


(120) An Easter-millinery display will occupy a half hour. 

Each boy is given his choice of two sheets of colored tissue 
paper and six pins. The girls are permitted a certain amount 
of colored paper and fine wire to make trimmings—bows, 
flowers, or wings. Fifteen minutes are allowed for the joint 
production of a hat, which the girl is to wear, and ten min¬ 
utes more are given for voting the prettiest and the most 
original and the most becoming hats. In the last five min¬ 
utes souvenirs are awarded to each of the winning couples. 

If the party is held before Easter, there may be an hour 
spent in decorating eggs to be used by the Primary Depart¬ 
ment or sent to a mission Sunday school, or for the purpose 
of making Easter cards and booklets out of plain cards 
and pictures cut from colored prints or last year’s Easter 
cards. The latter can also be pasted back to back to cover 
the writing, and three pairs tied together into a booklet. 
This is a good time to decorate some particularly pretty 
receptacles for potted plants to be sent to convalescents or 
shut-ins. Each season the shop windows are full of artis¬ 
tic novelties, which give workable suggestions for sou¬ 
venirs, but they will be more appreciated if made by the 
group which entertains. These may be little butterflies 
that have alighted upon the place-cards at the table or upon 
the leaves of the Easter lily centerpiece. In some seasons 
and climates it is possible to find enough budding plants 
and wild violets, hepaticas, or ferns to give each guest in 
a tiny pot. 

Appropriate refreshments are ice cream or mousse in egg 
molds, in a “nest” of candied orange peel (cut very long 
and slender for the purpose), yellow spongecake, and 
orangeade. 


YII 


SERVICE SOCIALS 

Many of the feature anniversaries may be utilized, with¬ 
out any loss of amusement, to prepare good times for 
persons from whom no return of any sort is expected. 

(121) A Christmas party was given by a girls’ class 
for three “influenza widows” and their families, whom the 
class had adopted. Stockings were hung over the fireplace, 
in which was a real grate fire; dresses of “kiddy” cloth, 
made for the little girls and older babies, were put upon 
the recipients as they arrived; a decorated tree and real 
Santa Claus made a wonderland for mothers and children. 
Refreshments were served in which part of the tree dec¬ 
orations—such as apples, oranges, and striped candy—fig¬ 
ured. The stockings were well filled with toys and needed 
articles and, after all had sung carols, were taken down 
and opened by the guests just before they departed. 

(122) A valentine contest may be made the main part 
of an evening’s frolic. Pictures, scissors, colored tissue 
paper, lace paper from cake and candy boxes, and stiff 
white or colored paper, with library paste and brushes, 
are spread out on a table protected by newspapers. Water 
colors or colored crayons may also be part of the supplies, 
as well as pen and ink. Everyone chooses her material 
according to her own wishes and makes as many valentines 
as she chooses. These are then exhibited, and prizes of 
“boughten” valentines awarded to the makers of the pret¬ 
tiest and most original or the one with the cleverest verse. 
The valentines may be the cause of deeper pleasure if they 
are afterward taken to an orphans’ home, a home for con¬ 
valescents, or a home for crippled children. 

(123) Making things. — Making tissue-paper flowers, 
stringing popcorn and cranberries, making posters, pack¬ 
ing Christmas and Thanksgiving boxes, and many other 
pieces of work are made light by many hands. Some Sun- 

64 


SERVICE SOCIALS 


65 


day-school classes of employed girls plan on such occa¬ 
sions to go direct from work and have their supper together 
first. Often the boys are invited to share both supper and 
work. 

Making toys, flower-pot holders, and other gifts is a 
pleasure in which both boys and girls may share. Soft 
pine wood and the boys' jackknives, slender steel nails and 
hammers, and colored crayons or pots of enamel paint will 
produce wonderful effects in mechanical and “character” 
toys. Splints, reeds, raffia, empty cigar boxes, and heavy 
pasteboard can be combined into attractive baskets and 
jardinieres in which to place little potted plants and ferns 
for shut-ins. These may be decorated by dipping in dia¬ 
mond dyes, by painting, and by covering with crape paper. 

Another piece of cooperative service is that of produc¬ 
ing (124) models and exhibits of Biblical and missionary 
scenes for the use of the elementary classes. A sand board, 
bits of evergreen, cloth and paper and wood for tents and 
houses, and paper and clothespin dolls dresed in suitable 
costumes call forth much creative ability and are none the 
less producers of good times because they are also highly 
educational. 

(125) Letters and pictures for hospitals, for foreign 
students in this country, and for pupils in foreign-mission 
schools are all sources of much pleasure in preparation. 
The hostess group should prepare for two or three weeks 
in advance by collecting illustrated magazines, newspaper 
supplements, funny magazines, and joke columns from 
newspapers for the party. These are to be supplemented 
by plenty of shears, library paste, and tough, light-colored 
wrapping paper or cardboard. For foreign use make the 
backing as light in weight as possible. On separate sheets 
may be assembled pictures of American homes—exteriors 
and interiors—of landscapes, of food and cooking, of chil¬ 
dren and home groups, of sports and games. 

The more elaborate method is to cut out from the larg¬ 
est advertisement or supplement pages a brown or colored 
frame, select the components of a picture, and, with due 
regard for perspective, so paste them that an entirely new 
picture will result. This may be made all the more realis- 


66 


GOOD TIMES FOR GIRLS 


tic if the colored pictures, instead of being cut out, are 
transferred with (126) a transfer fluid. This may be 
made as follows: Use twelve ounces of warm (not hot) 
water and a piece of naphtha soap about 1 inch square. 
Dissolve this soap in the warm water, and when thoroughly 
dissolved add five drops of kerosene, five cents’ worth of 
boracic-acid crystals, and a few drops of oil of winter- 
green. Shake well together in a large bottle and keep 
tightly corked when not in use. With a soft brush or cloth 
apply the liquid generously to the picture to be transferred. 
This does not injure the picture at all. Then place the 
picture face down upon the paper, to which it is to be 
transferred. With the bowl of a spoon press and smooth 
the back of the picture for a few minutes. Use a small 
roller blotter if one is available. Proceed carefully; and 
when the picture is removed, a very good duplicate will 
be found upon the second piece of paper. 

Part of an evening may be spent in writing real personal 
letters to the Chinese or Japanese girl students in an 
American college or to a foreign pupil whose tuition is 
being paid by the group. Personal letters also are appre¬ 
ciated by convalescents in hospitals. A box of (127) “com¬ 
fort powders” is often a medicine welcomed by doctors 
and nurses for patients discouraged with the tediousness 
of recovery. Little pasteboard boxes, such as druggists 
use, are filled with small papers folded just as quinine 
powders are, but instead each is a joke, a verse of a poem, 
a conundrum, or a personal word of friendly greeting. 
These may be labeled on the outside “Take at 10 p. m.,” 
“Take at 3 a. m. if awake,” etc. 

(128) A post-card party can be made a delightful 
affair. Invitations are sent on post cards, asking the guests 
to bring all the picture post cards their family and friends 
are willing to part with and also their choicest travel or 
art cards. The donated cards are received as the guests 
enter and placed in large baskets or trays. If a reflecto- 
scope can be obtained, each one in the company in turn 
may bring her cards to the operator and tell their story, 
then take them back for safe-keeping. Or, in a small 
group, the cards may be passed around while they are 


SERVICE SOCIALS 


67 


being described. Someone with an unusually fine collec¬ 
tion of foreign cards may be invited to bring them and 
tell their story. 

Then the hostess or some missionary friend may tell of 
the eagerness of the children in the mission schools of 
China, India, and Africa for pictures, and of the educational 
use that their teachers make of them. The cards the 
guests have brought are to be sent to some mission school. 
The company is invited to play “mail car,” sorting the 
cards from the great pile into trays provided and labeled 
“Buildings and Historic Sites,” “Landscapes,” “Flowers,” 
“Children,” “Christmas,” “Easter,” etc. Ask the guests 
to put themselves into the place of the teacher and throw 
into a “Rejected” box any of the sentimental or comic 
cards she would find it difficult to explain or which would 
give an unfair impression of American life. After this 
sorting the cards are rapidly pasted together, back to back, 
so as to conceal the writing, with library paste and brushes 
made ready on a table well protected with newspapers. 

Postal regulations differ for the various countries. The 
teacher should have made sure of them from the local 
postmaster, and then the post cards can be weighed out 
for parcels of the right size, securely wrapped and tied and 
marked, ready for mailing. 


VIII 


SHARING SUNDAY AFTERNOONS 

How many of the boys and girls you know can have 
the right kind of a good time or any really happy time at 
all on Sunday afternoon? If none of your friends live in 
a hall bedroom and eat in a hoarding house, or live in a 
home to which they are not permitted to bring their 
friends, what about the boys and girls you see on Sundays, 
wandering about, alone or together, in the parks, on the 
downtown streets, or going to the “movies”? Maybe some 
of them aren’t “nice,” but most of them are or want to 
be; and all of them are lonesome. Does that suggest any 
possibilities for your social plans? 

A good many groups of church girls are giving a definite 
time to (129) Sunday-afternoon hospitality, perhaps 
once a month, perhaps every week. Sometimes the church 
has a room that is really homelike or can be made so. 
Sometimes the Y. M. C. A. and Y. W. C. A. buildings offer 
a more convenient center; sometimes homes (especially in 
the summer—homes w r ith cool porches and shady yards—) 
are offered for smaller groups. 

The unfailing resources for giving pleasure to these rest¬ 
less or homesick stranger young folks are just what you 
like when you have some of your own “pals” in for the 
afternoon: 

1. Something to do or listen to together. 

2. Something to eat together. 

3. Somewhere to go to together. 

4. Somebody to talk to who understands. 

(These may come in any order.) 

1. A short program gives everybody an even “send-off.” 
One of the hostess girls or some grown-up whom they per¬ 
suade to do so may tell or (130) read a story or begin 
an interesting new book. This should be well done. Often 
the teacher or one of the mothers or fathers can do this 

68 


SHARING SUNDAY AFTERNOONS 


69 


beautifully. Someone who sings or plays well can con¬ 
tribute much pleasure and then get everybody to sing. 
The half hours slip by on magic wings when young people 
are (131) singing together. Learn some of the big 
hymns that need many voices to make them ring. Don’t 
be afraid of using some of the familiar and sentimental folk 
songs. Sunday music needn’t be all either “highbrow” or 
“churchy,” but it should be good music—never trashy or 
vulgar. 

Someone who has lived in strange places of the earth 
will enjoy a chance not to “give a missionary address,” 
but to tell the intimate, curious, human things he has en¬ 
joyed and longed for time to write home about. 

(132) A stereopticon or reflectoscope has all sorts of 
Sunday possibilities, and the pictures don’t need to be “tame” 
to be wholesomely different from those in the “movie” 
around the corner. After the short program introductions 
may be made as rapidly and informally as possible. See 
that all the boys meet all the girls. 

There are perfectly possible Sunday adaptations, accord¬ 
ing to different-sized groups, of activities mentioned in this 
pamphlet. 

2. (133) Sunday supper is often a real problem for the 
boarder in the city; and even if his regular “mealing 
place” is open, there is no lonesomer meal in the week. 
“Better is a wafer and a cup of weak tea with a motherly 
woman asking him if he prefers cream or lemon than a 
hearty meal alone in a restaurant.” A hungry boy very 
often doesn’t think so, but he is apt to believe it on Sunday 
night. And if to the motherly voice is added a girlish 
one, and the wafer is replaced by a chowder from a chafing 
dish (“backed up by a full-sized kitchen range,” as one 
mother of a hospitable daughter and a hungry son wisely 
put it), Sunday is indeed the best day of the week. If 
chafing dishes are out of the question, and the church 
kitchen space is limited, at least have enough sandwiches 
and plenty of the cocoa or lemonade. 

3. Unless the weather is impossible, part of Sunday 
should be spent out of doors. (134) Automobile owners 
would give more pleasure than they dream if they would 


7a 


GOOD TIMES FOR GIRLS 


use their cars for an hour or two for groups of hoys and 
girls who spend their week-days at work. In communities 
where there is a vesper service but no evening church 
service in the summer the walk or ramble may he in the 
evening. There is no real substitute for the (135) Snn- 
d ay- afternoon walk. Every town has beautiful places 
that the newcomer may be a long time discovering. The 
miscellaneous group of young men and girls who have 
accepted the invitation of the hostess group may be divided 
up into comfortable-sized walking squads—say four or five 
to not more than a dozen—and taken to some of these lovely 
spots. Some of your guests will expect a chaperon to ac¬ 
company each group, but there may be some of the less 
carefully brought up who will feel constrained or even 
resentful. A tactful group of girl hostesses can put every¬ 
one at ease by saying to one squad: “Mr. Smith, the Y. M. 
C. A. secretary, will take us to Parker’s Woods; he knows 
all about trees and can call them by their first names when 
he meets one for the first time even without any leaves!”; 
to another group: “Mrs. Brown can find romantic spots and 
fairy glades on the boulevard! She’s going to show us a 
new place she has discovered”; and to another: “We’ve 
asked our teacher, Miss Jones, to take us to the glen be¬ 
cause we’ve all got to get back to supper, and she is the 
best walker in our class, so if we can keep up we’ll be 
all right.” 

Thus the socially uninstructed will not feel “spied upon,” 
because there is a definite reason for that older person’s 
presence with them, and the carefully brought up girls will 
feel at their ease in getting acquainted with the boys 
whose background and ideals they do not yet know. And 
if the young people do not find things to talk about easily, 
there will be an experienced man or woman to start things 
going again. 

4. Many a lonesome boy away from home will enjoy more 
than any prepared entertainment (136) “a chance to talk 
to some nice girl.” Every once in a while, though, that 
boy wants mothering most of all. So if he seems interested 
in the chaperon, don’t fancy you have to rescue him from 
his own politeness. After he has got his troubles out of 


SHARING SUNDAY AFTERNOONS 


71 


his system by talking them out to a sympathetic and per¬ 
haps wisely silent older woman, he will come back to the 
group of girls his own age with a lighter heart and a less 
preoccupied mind. It may even be that his limited experi¬ 
ence has been such that he will be nervously shy with 
girls until the understanding chaperon has reassured him 
that while her girls are friendly they have no personal 
designs on him! To some it is a new experience to find 
that there are girls who (as a boy officer during the war 
phrased it) “can show all the feminine charm and vivacity 
without being on the still hunt for a man.” Of course, 
there may be boys who need another kind of a lesson, and 
it is a big help in a girl’s first experience with that sort 
to see how a gracious woman deals with him. 

The informality and leisureliness of Sunday afternoons 
and evenings afford one of the largest opportunities for 
simple and generous hospitality and sincere friendliness 
with persons one would not otherwise meet. There is no 
reason why the delightful customs of the war should be 
dropped. Boys are building democracy as truly when they 
spend their week days in the shop as in the trenches, and 
girls in the garment trades need all that they did when 
they were in munitions plants. The get-together move¬ 
ments must not stop, but we must all make definite choice 
of the goal to which we will all together move as fast as 
we can—that fellowship of friendly citizens of the world 
which shall be the kingdom of God. 


IX 


REFRESHMENTS 

One may have a good time without any special lecora- 
tions, but most of us are still children enough to feel that 
the real party is the “eats.” The laws of “the fitness of. 
things” must govern the choice of refreshments. The first 
law is that the expense must never be a burden. The 
second law is that they must please the guests rather than 
the hostesses. Do not expect hungry, growing boys to be 
content with two wafers and a glass of punch or with 
sandwiches the size of a silver dollar. The third law is 
“Avoid sameness.” Use every possibility afforded by time 
and place or special occasion to vary the food and its 
form. 

1. Refreshments as incidentals. —This means one or 
two things to nibble and something to drink. Sandwiches, 
wafers, cakes, and fruit are the range of the first. Follow¬ 
ing are some suggestions for (137) sandwiches: 

Cream cheese (alone or with nuts of various kinds, or 
mixed with green peppers, watercress, or pimento), baked 
beans (mashed with a little mustard), nuts with mayon¬ 
naise, nuts and preserved ginger, dill pickles, dill and ham, 
pimento, ground meat, cucumber and mayonnaise, egg and 
anchovy, orange marmalade, raisins and marmalade, nuts 
and raisins, dates and peanuts, peanut butter, lettuce, cress, 
onion (!), cold sliced meat, tomato, jelly, mint (combine 
a few fresh mint leaves with any kind of canned preserves), 
club sandwiches (chicken, bacon, lettuce, an olive, and may¬ 
onnaise, with layers of toasted bread between the various 
fillings), vegetable club sandwiches (lettuce with chopped 
radishes, onions, and cucumbers, and mayonnaise; must be 
eaten immediately after they are prepared). Rose sand¬ 
wiches are a novelty prepared by flavoring unsalted butter 
with rose extract (salted butter may be used by rinsing it 
through several cold waters and adding the flavoring); a 

72 


REFRESHMENTS 


73 


few rose petals are placed between the thin slices of white 
bread on which this is spread. Graham, rye, and Boston 
brown bread and the usual round or square crackers all 
furnish elements of variety in sandwich making. 

(138) Beverages. —Ice, fire, spices, and unusual combi¬ 
nations are sources of variety in the serving of beverages: 

Tea hot from the afternoon teakettle and made with a 
silver or aluminum teaball, served with cream, with lemon, 
or mulled with stick cinnamon, whole cloves, and bits of 
lemon and orange peel—all these with sugar to taste—; 
iced tea with lemon or with crushed mint leaves or added 
to grapejuice punch. 

Coffee, hot and black, hot or iced, with cream and sugar. 

Cocoa or chocolate, hot with cream, with marshmallow, 
or with a tiny bit of flour thickening and cinnamon flavor; 
also, iced cocoa and chocolate. 

Fruit juices, served separately with ice or combined into 
the various punches and decorated with whole cherries, 
strawberries, or cubes of orange or pineapple, crushed mint 
leaves, slices of lemon or bits of candied orange peel; 
“Mulled” lemonade, in which the lemon sirup is first pre¬ 
pared and mixed with strips of yellow peel, whole spices, 
and mint leaves to taste, and hot water poured on just 
before serving. 

Some of the bottled or homemade soft drinks are both 
pleasant and wholesome, but one must take good care of 
the latter point before serving them. 

(139) Cakes. —There are innumerable varieties of cakes 
and wafers in packages to be obtained at any store, but 
numerous as they are they soon become monotonous. Plain 
white crackers may have chopped nuts mixed with egg-and- 
sugar frosting or with a prepared marshmallow spread 
thinly and browned in the oven. Shredded cocoanut, 
chopped raisins, candied cherries, homemade candied or¬ 
ange peel, preserved ginger, homemade jams and jellies, 
may all be used with soda crackers, milk biscuit, or home¬ 
made pie-crust tarts to add variety to the sweets served. 
Homemade cookies can be cut into hearts on Valentine’s 
Day, into hatchets for Washington’s Birthday, in the shape 
of eggs or rabbits for Easter, shamrocks for Saint Patrick’s 


74 


GOOD TIMES FOR GIRLS 


Day, into stars for Christmas, and into hour glasses for 
New Year’s. The inexpensive vegetable coloring matter 
in green, pink, yellow, red, and blue, with simple sugar 
frosting, helps carry out special color schemes. (Beware 
of the chemical dyes sometimes unscrupulously substi¬ 
tuted.) Plain molasses, spice, sponge, black chocolate, and 
cup cakes are comparatively inexpensive and may be baked 
in little separate molds, making one receipt go a long way. 
They always seem more of a treat than the cakes from the 
store. 

(140) Refreshments as a feature of a Japanese social 
or an “evening in China” or a similar missionary party 
must, of course, be in keeping. Suggestions are: India, 
rice and lamb curry and Ceylon tea; China, rice, chop 
suey (made of pork, celery, onions, cracked whole wheat— 
if more truly Chinese ingredients are not available—), rice 
cakes, and preserved ginger, which can be purchased in 
most cities; Japan, rice, boiled fish with radish rosettes, 
or sweet rice cakes; Armenia, bean chowder, rice boiled 
with currants, black coffee (thick with powdered coffee 
and very sweet), and Turkish-delight candy. 

(141) Fruits.— Green and red-skinned apples, cut down 
almost to the stem in small sections, with a candied cherry 
where the core is removed, look like “chrysanthemums or 
water lilies or something.” Bananas should have the skin 
broken evenly and stripped down a little ways and turned 
in and should be arranged artistically on a fruit dish. 
Oranges may have the skin cut in fancy shapes and partly 
removed, and the lobes separated part way. 

Grapes, plums, and other autumn fruits in season are 
sufficient by themselves for light refreshments and may 
be ipade very attractive if served in a pumpkin shell or 
artistic basket and garnished with their own leaves. 

Try serving plain hot saltines (reheated in the oven) 
with chocolate fudge. Popcorn and fudge, and popcorn 
and hickory nuts, butternuts, or black walnuts are good 
combinations. Quite as good as popcorn, though rather 
unusual, is parched sweet corn. The ears that are too hard 
to eat as green corn should be saved on the stalks until 
they ripen. When dried and shelled the corn is parched 


REFRESHMENTS 


75 


in an ordinary corn popper. It will not pop white, but the 
kernels will swell and become tender. Be careful not to 
scorch. 

2. Refreshments as the main feature. — (142) An 
altruistic taffy-pull.— The requirements are a thoroughly 
tested receipt and all the required materials in due amount; 
preserving kettles large enough so there is little danger 
of boiling over and burning the syrup; three or four pairs 
of strong shears; three or four cups for cold water for 
testing the syrup; two or three basins of flour and plenty 
of waxed paper; a plain white saucer for each guest; 
greased platters or baking sheets; and all the clean used 
candy boxes that can be collected. A competent committee 
should have charge of measuring, boiling, and testing the 
syrup, and deciding when it is the right temperature for 
pulling. Each guest (with thoroughly washed hands) then 
enters into the contest, first dipping the fingers lightly 
into the flour instead of butter. Open windows keep the 
taffy from sticking. There will be considerable rivalry as 
to who can pull the candy the whitest. The shears are to 
cut it into pieces of suitable length after it is pulled and 
perhaps braided. The pieces are laid upon the platter, 
and each is wrapped in wax paper as soon as cool. Then 
the boxes are packed and marked for some children’s home 
or settlement or mission, or for the nurses at a hospital, 
or for any other group that will appreciate the homemade 
candy. The guests will of course eat all the imperfect 
pieces—and maybe a few extra! 

(143) Popcorn balls require much the same material 
and in addition as many cornpoppers or large iron skillets 
with fitted covers as can be accommodated over the fire at 
one time. A coal or gas range or a grate fire may be used. 
Someone with experience should prepare the syrup and 
direct the making of the balls. 

(144) Chafing-dish. parties. —These are particularly 
cozy for groups of from four to a dozen and for Sunday 
supper. One, two, or three chafing dishes will be needed 
according to the size of the group and the character of the 
menu. Almost anything can be prepared in a chafing dish 
which can be prepared on top of a stove—that is, it will 


76 


GOOD TIMES FOR GIRLS 


do anything but bake. There are books of chafing-dish 
receipts but the inexpensive things of the ordinary cook¬ 
book will be found more satisfactory. Oysters—stewed, 
fried, creamed, or panned; sweetbreads; fish; cheese 
rarebits and cheese “dreams”; corn chowder; omelets; 
poached and scrambled eggs; saute and creamed potatoes; 
and chocolate or cream sauce, to be used on ice cream or 
a cake pudding previously prepared, are suggestions of 
things most young folks are capable of cooking palatably 
in chafing dishes. 

The chafing dish party calls for informality. A group 
of girls gather in the room of one of the club or of their 
Sunday-school teacher; a “bunch” of girls and boys gather 
around a grate fire in the library in one of their homes, a 
little folding table is drawn up, and perhaps the library 
table is cleared and covered with a lunch cloth. A chafing 
dish should always stand on a metal tray, whether its 
heating is alcohol, electricity, or “sterno.” Plates are usu¬ 
ally balanced on one’s lap or placed upon a chair arm or 
upon a corner of the nearest table. The informality pro¬ 
duces friendliness and cheer, which add zest to the simplest 
food. 

(145) “Bacon bats” and “weenie” roasts. —The most 
inexperienced picnickers can make a success of a “bacon 
bat.” Some one of the party should be able to build a 
small fire that will make plenty of coals without much 
smoke. Coffee is first made in a big tin or granite pot or 
pail in the proportion of two gallons of water to a pound 
of ground coffee, which should be in a loose cheese-cloth 
bag. After the coffee is done it may be set aside to settle 
and will not get too cold by the time the rest is ready. 
The bread should be brought in whole loaves and cut as 
needed, or the big, flat, unsweetened buns may be used. 
The bacon is already sliced and trimmed from the rind. 
Each guest finds a long stick (preferably not dry, dead 
wood) and sharpens the end to a point. A forked stick 
with two or three points is better still. A slice of bacon 
or a link of sausage is supported firmly on the sharp points 
and held over the fire until it crisps but does not burn. 
This is put hot between the slices of bread or roll, and the 


REFRESHMENTS 


77 


process repeated as long as appetite continues. For variety 
strips of cheese may be laid upon the bread or bun, and 
with sufficient care they may be toasted together over the 
fire. Tomatoes, cucumbers, radishes, and dill pickles are 
all appetizing accompaniments. Only salt is needed for 
the fresh vegetables. Homemade cakes or cookies and 
apples or bananas finish the repast. 

(146) A shore dinner.— This requires more experience 
or a competent director. It is the natural wind-up of a 
successful day’s fishing, but for young people whose time 
is limited the fishing may be done by someone else, and 
the results purchased. The fire is built on the lake or 
river shore, and the menu consists of broiled or fried fish, 
potatoes baked on the hot stones, roasted sweet corn, or 
other vegetables in their season; coffee, and fruit. 

(147) Pot-luek supper. —The usual place for this is 
the clubroom or social room at the church, and the occa¬ 
sion the regular monthly business meeting or a special 
meeting for work of some sort such as packing a missionary 
barrel. “Pot luck” consists in each one bringing whatever 
is convenient for her or pleases her fancy. The resulting 
collection is shared by all. It may happen that all bring 
baked beans and no one brings bread, or all may bring 
dessert, and no one anything substantial. Of course, that 
is all part of the fun, but it is always permissible to col¬ 
lect a few cents from each and purchase a loaf of bread, 
some butter, or cakes or fruit if they are lacking. Boys 
like to be invited occasionally to take “pot luck” with a 
group of girls. In this case the girls should plan to bring 
not twice but three times as much as if they were to be 
by themselves. 

(148) Kitchen collation. —This is a piece of hospital¬ 
ity to be offered by a girl with a real home to girls who 
are away from home in furnished rooms, boarding houses, 
or a girls’ dormitory. The entertainment is sufficiently 
provided by furnishing a big apron to each guest and 
allowing her to help peel potatoes, bake biscuit, or do 
whatever she chooses in helping to prepare the meal. No 
one who has not been deprived of kitchen privileges for a 
few months knows how homesick a real girl gets for the 


78 


GOOD TIMES FOR GIRLS 


homely fun of “messing around” in a kitchen, or how 
grateful she is to the people who will thus share the heart 
of their home with her. 

Banquets .—As many of the club or group as possible 
should share both in planning and executing the details. 
Make the food as inexpensive as possible but spare no 
thought on the perfection and daintiness of all the details. 

(149) Tlie mother-amd-daugliter "banquet may be quite 
the best evening of the year. Every girl must invite a 
mother as a guest. If she is away from home or is an 
orphan she may invite her spinster teacher in school or 
Sunday school, or some daughterless mother. In one large 
city church the invitations were beautifully written, but 
instead of mailing them the girls went two by two to 
deliver them. Each couple took two invitations but called 
on mothers of other girls; so when the mothers came 
they already had a beginning of acquaintance with their 
daughters’ friends. However the invitations are delivered 
they should be in perfect form. They may or may not 
be decorated with a pen drawing or water-color sketch. 
If the number of guests is very large, the menu cards may 
be printed; otherwise, the girls who use the pen most 
rapidly and plainly may share in making enough for a 
copy for each guest. It is a pleasant custom, but not 
essential, that for each course a quotation be written. 
Quotations are appropriate following the title of each 
toast. A toast list that was successfully used for such a 
banquet follows: 

“The Kind of Mother I Like.” 

“What Sort of a Daughter May I Expect?” 

“ When I Was a Girl.” 

“When I Get to Be a Woman.” 

“The Mother and Daughter in the Church.” 

“If I Were the Mother of a Daughter” (by one of the 
daughters). 

“Chums.’ 

(150) A daddies-and-daughters banquet is quite as 
delightful as the preceding. The same care is taken in all 
preparations. It is well for the invitations to be mailed 
in the name of the club or department. Into the invitations 


REFRESHMENTS 


79 


going to the “adopted” fathers may be slipped a card bear¬ 
ing the name of the daughter for the evening. The cus¬ 
tomary favor for such a banquet is a flower, which each 
father puts into his buttonhole. A parallel program of 
toasts is used, changing the third and fourth numbers to 
“Girls When I Was a Boy” and “When Father and I Go 
to Vote.” 

(151) Inter department banquets, in which the seniors 
entertain the intermediates, or the senior boys entertain the 
senior girls, or vice versa, are also happy occasions. At one 
such banquet the girls prepared the dinner, and some of the 
fathers of the boys volunteered to act as waiters, so that 
none of the hostesses need absent themselves from the 
table between courses. Cheers and songs are appropriate; 
and in a very large gathering, say of the senior councils 
of a city, part of the toasts may be stunts, either planned or 
impromptu, given by the different delegations. 


X 


DECORATIONS 

A crowd that is already acquainted may have a good 
time in any sort of a place. But their pleasure is increased 
by creating an “atmosphere” appropriate to the season and 
occasion. When guests are formally invited, or many 
strangers are to be welcomed, the sense of festivity is 
much more quickly felt if the rooms are in gala attire. 

(152) Decorating the assembly room. —If the gather¬ 
ing is in a private home, this is a simple procedure. Use¬ 
less and breakable articles are removed, and plenty of seats 
are arranged. If a color scheme is to tfe carried out, or on 
some such occasion as Halloween or May Day, the lights 
are covered with crape-paper shades of appropriate form 
and color—yellow paper pumpkins, pink crape roses, yellow- 
and-white daisies, or whatever the special feature suggests. 
For Halloween or harvest home real or tissue-paper grape 
and pumpkin vines, with their fruit, may be draped over 
window curtains or portieres or festooned from the chan¬ 
deliers. Apple blossoms for a May party, purple and white 
wistaria for a Japanese tea, and strings of red-paper hearts 
and arrows or wreaths of true-blue forget-me-nots for Val¬ 
entine’s Day indicate the kind of inexpensive decorations 
appropriate for the home. 

If the gathering is to be held in the social room or gym¬ 
nasium of a schoolhouse or church, more preliminaries are 
required. The ugly walls of a basement room may be trans¬ 
formed by covering with old portieres lent from friendly 
attics or by plain white sheets, over which bunting of the 
special color appropriate to the occasion is festooned. The 
pillars frequently found in such basements may be wound 
with bunting or paper, and unremovable pieces of appa¬ 
ratus in a gymnasium may be covered or utilized as enor¬ 
mous bouquet holders for autumn branches, masses of 

80 


DECORATIONS 


81 


golden rod and purple asters, or the Christmas greens and 
holly. 

Frequently, to make sure of sufficient seats, old church 
pews or recitation benches must be used. These may be 
covered with borrowed portieres, couch covers, and sofa 
cushions. One almost hopeless basement room was trans¬ 
formed by the willing hands of the young people and 
equally willing generosity of their mothers from a “regular 
rescue mission" room to a really charming Oriental salon. 
Sometimes the ferns and potted palms for the Easter or 
Children’s Day celebration in the church may be used with 
little or no extra expense at a social affair on the following 
evening. 

The calendar of social events given on page 11 sug¬ 
gests general color schemes appropriate for special occa¬ 
sions. For snow, white cotton batting and powdered mica 
may be made to go a long way scattered lightly over 
the holiday evergreens. The red-white-and-blue bunting 
and the flags needed for every February and every Dec¬ 
oration Day and Fourth of July should be carefully taken 
down before they have a chance to become soiled or to 
get tiresome to the observer, well brushed and shaken, 
and folded neatly away in the supply closet. In the same 
way the valentine hearts and darts, the Saint Patrick’s 
harps and shamrocks, the yards of green crape which form 
the background for many other schemes, the Christmas 
stars and spangles, and the branches of paper cherry blos¬ 
soms and garlands of wisteria should be carefully brushed 
and packed after using and saved for later use. 

An occasion for which very special decorations may be 
prepared may be the church’s reception to high-school or 
college students in the autumn and to its graduates just 
before or after commencement time. For such an affair a 
(153) rainbow reception is very pretty. The seven 
colors in pale tints may be carried out in festoons of crape 
paper or bunting; and each color may decorate a separate 
corner, with a table for some part of the refreshments sur¬ 
rounded by cozy seats. Real flowers may be supplemented 
by artificial ones to produce some such scheme as this: 

Purple (or lavender). —Long-stemmed violets or lilacs or 


82 


GOOD TIMES FOR GIRLS 


purple asters, as the season may furnish. Grape juice may 
he served. The brown of chocolate ice cream or hot choco¬ 
late harmonizes well with purple in the evening. 

Red. —Geraniums, dahlias, scarlet salvia, or red roses; 
loganberry, raspberry, or strawberry punch. 

Orange. —Nasturtiums, brown-eyed susans, or mari¬ 
golds; orangeade. 

Yellow. —Buttercups, golden poppies, and yellow chrysan¬ 
themums; yellow sponge cakes. 

Pink. —Roses, hollyhocks, or sweet peas; wintergreen or 
rose-flavored candy creams or strawberry ice cream. 

Green. —Ferns, smilax, or lacy yarrow leaves are pretty. 
Mint julep made from iced tea, pistachio ice cream, or mint 
candies (colored with spinach green) are appropriate. 

White. —Daisies, asters, or the wild Queen-Anne’s lace 
are lovely for the table, which may hold white bread sand¬ 
wiches or a bowl of snowy sherbet. 

Blue. —Forget-me-nots, cineraria, wild chicory, and 
larkspur are all deeply blue. At this table may be served 
vanilla ice cream. 

The hostesses who serve at each table and those who 
stand in the reception line may carry out the color scheme 
either in the delicate tints of their dresses or with ribbon 
knots or sashes on white frocks. If a flower or ribbon favor 
is given each guest as he enters, it will serve as a basis for 
acquaintance groups or entertainment divisions later. 

(154) For informal frolics such decorations as a gipsy 
tent, an Indian tepee, shocks of corn, and even hay and 
cut branches to transform the gymnasium into out-of- 
doors for a picnic suggest the wide range of possibilities. 

It is always comparatively easy to obtain the material 
for the decorations and to get them put up. The test of 
real hospitality and social success is the ability of the 
entertaining group to get all borrowed material returned 
promptly and to clean up and dispose of all paper and 
litter immediately after the guests have departed so as to 
make no extra labor for janitor or parents as the case may 
be. Whether it is the decorating committee or another 
committee especially appointed, those in charge must have 
a conscience cultivated to a sensitive point if an elaborate 
party is not to cause more weariness and unpleasantness 
to some than it gives pleasure to others. 

(155) Table decorations. —Linen and silver, china and 
glassware, may be borrowed if necessary. The willingness 


DECORATIONS 


83 


of the owners to lend them is a pretty good test of the 
reputation of the group for carefulness and reliability. The 
centerpiece may be exceedingly original to fit the special 
anniversary or occasion. Place-cards, menu cards, bonbon 
holders, and “fortunes” or personal quips or jokes give 
scope for originality and for much latent talent with scis¬ 
sors, pen, and water colors. If no one can make original 
decorations for place-cards, much fun may be had by cut¬ 
ting out appropriate pictures from advertisements. If the 
entire group is well acquainted, some characteristic may 
be brought out in the picture, and the name omitted en¬ 
tirely. Each guest is then obliged to find her place by the 
object or picture. Sometimes one or more are clever enough 
to write a limerick or nonsense rime for each place-card. 
Use flowers when flowers are plentiful, but it is better to 
use a mirror and a potted plant for the centerpiece and 
much color in crape paper or bunting than to spend money 
for flowers out of their season. A combination of decorat¬ 
ing and program may be made in (156) a “coaundrum 
salad.” Salad leaves are cut from green tissue or crape 
paper and arranged appetizingly on individual paper plates, 
or, if the number is small, in one large salad bowl. Pinned 
to the concealed end of the leaf is a conundrum and its 
answer—one or two for each guest. While the dishes are 
being removed between courses, each reads a conundrum 
and gives opportunity for the rest to guess. The one who 
guesses it gets the green leaf. If no one does, the reader 
keeps it. To vary this for a commencement banquet, a 
Dennison paper owl may sit in state on a stiffly wired inter¬ 
rogation point at the head of the table, and the folded co¬ 
nundrums be drawn from its breast and passed. Or the 
folded papers may be attached to 'boutonnieres at each 
plate (real or paper according to the season). 

(157) Some conundrums.— 

When is it easy to read in the woods? When the autumn 
turns the leaves. 

Why are the Western prairies flat? Because the sun sets 
on them every night. 

Which is the largest room in the world? Room for im¬ 
provement. 

When is a cup like a cat? When you're teasin' it. 


84 


GOOD TIMES FOR GIRLS 


Why is it dangerous to walk abroad in the springtime? 
Because the grass is putting forth Wades, every flower has 
a pistil, the trees are shooting, and the bulrushes out. 

Why is a washerwoman the greatest traveler on record? 
Because she crosses the line and goes from pole to pole. 

If you throw a stone that is white into the Red Sea, what 
will it become? Wet. 

What is the difference between a duck that has one wing 
and one that has two? Merely a difference of a pinion. 

Why is a schoolboy being flogged like your eye? Because 
he's a pupil under the lash. 

Why does not Sweden send her cattle abroad? Because 
she keeps her Stockholm. 

What is the difference between a clock and a partner¬ 
ship? When a clock is wound up it goes; when a firm is 
ivound up it stops. . 

What belongs to yourself and is used by your friends 
more than yourself? Your name. 

What is the center of gravity? The letter v. 

What is the difference between a sick horse and a dead 
bee? A sick horse is a seedy beast, and a dead bee is a 
bee deceased. 

Why is a beehive like a bad potato? A beehive is a bee 
holder, a beholder is an observer, an observer is a spectator, 
and a specked “ tater" is a bad one! 

How does a river make its bed? With sheets of rain. 

What foot cannot wear a shoe? The foot of a mountain. 

What trunk has no lock? An elephant's. 

A top that will not spin? The top of a hill. 

Where are wet blankets appropriate? In the cradle of 
tTic deep* 

Food that has not become scarce? Food for re-flection. 

Heat that cannot be measured by a thermometer? Heat 
of an argument. 

A coat that has no buttons? A coat of paint. 

An ear that cannot hear? An ear of corn. 

Why is an argument like a sheet of paper? Two sides 
but no front or back. 

What is the only thing that can stand up straight and 
lie on its face at the same time? A tombstone. 

What is the difference between a gourmand and an anar¬ 
chist? One is a mighty diner, and the other is a dynamiter. 

What is the difference between a tramp and a feather¬ 
bed? One is hard up, and the other is soft down. 

Prove that the wind is blind. The wind is a, breeze, a 
breeze is a zephyr, a zephyr is a yarn, a yarn is a tale, a 
tale is an attachment, an attachment is affection, affection 
is love, and love is blind! 

How can you show that a mouse has been in a loaf of 
bread? When you find it stale (its tail). 


XI 


“DRESSING UP” 

When a girl gets an invitation to a party, her first ques¬ 
tion is either “What shall I wear?” or “What are you going 
to wear?” Consciousness of wearing the appropriate and 
becoming thing makes all the difference in one’s social 
poise and ability to forget herself and enter into the life 
of the occasion. Who decides what is “proper”? The mat¬ 
ter is neither arbitrary nor haphazard; there are laws of 
beauty and harmony, and to know and follow these is the 
secret of good taste and correct form. 

1. Principles for all occasions. —(a) Absolute cleanli¬ 
ness .—Does it seem unnecessary or indelicate to begin with 
that? At the next gathering you attend quietly observe 
how many collars and frills and front breadths are spotless. 
How many hat crowns need brushing? How many shoes 
have yesterday’s mud or dust still showing? How many 
girls can you sit close beside and not detect any odor of 
perspiration or of oily hair? If girls could only hear what 
boys say confidentially to their mothers, aunts, and sisters! 

(&) Trimness .—How many even of the spotless blouses 
are minus a button or have a “ragtag” showing somewhere? 

Look at the row of feet opposite you in a car, whether 
at 8 a. m. or at 8 p. m. ; some of the trim boots and oxfords 
may be far from new, but how many new shoes and eve¬ 
ning slippers have sloppily tied laces and twisted heels? 
Do the stocking seams go straight up the back? How many 
skirts hang exactly even all the way around? or meet the 
blouse exactly middle to middle of the back at the belt? 
How many blouses are drawn down snug and even where 
they are supposed to be smooth? and where they are sup¬ 
posed to be loose puff gracefully without sagging, as if 
there were a weight or a swelling on one side? How many 
pretty heads of hair look as if the parting has been done 
with the fingers, quite by guess? How many scraggly 

85 


86 


GOOD TIMES FOR GIRLS 


“taggle-ends” and scolding locks mar the outline of the 
coiffure? Attention to these details does not mean being 
prim but being trim. There’s a vast difference. Primness 
is usually angular and may be ugly; trimness is intelligent 
attention to details and is the foundation of grace. 

(c) Personal becomingness .—Every girl ought to con¬ 
sider it her religious duty to look her best all the time. 
But it certainly takes effort and intelligence. The easy 
way is to wear whatever “everybody” is wearing; but that 
makes her clothes common instead of stylish. Every girl 
must find her own style. Even if she has no time for 
sewing and must choose from “readymades,” the season of 
the most atrocious fashions will offer some garments that 
are not hideous. A shopping tour may be taken to study 
the displays in the show windows of the larger stores and 
to analyze the difference between the extreme and tawdry 
garments crowded into the windows of the cheap stores 
and the elegant simplicity of the “exclusive” shops. It will 
be readily discovered that the difference in the prices is 
due far more to the cost of the brains and artistic ability 
than to the mere difference in cost of materials. 

The major chord of the harmony of dress has three notes 
—color, line, and texture. If you have not a keen color 
sense of your own, when you go shopping take along some¬ 
one who has. The oft-quoted rule about matching one’s 
hair or eyes holds good, but be sure whether your blue 
eyes require a gray-blue or a lavender-blue, and your brown 
hair shades into the red-browns, the yellow-browns, or the 
taupe-browns. It is both art and economy to run a year 
or two in one general color—navy blue, brown, or green, 
and then, for variety and relief, change to another when a 
big item like a suit or coat has to be purchased. Don’t 
buy anything that will last longer than one season in any 
of the “popular” colors. That “henna” charmeuse is 
marked “vintage of 1918” to everyone who sees it, and the 
mustard-colored coat or the purple velvet hat must wait 
to be made over until they are dyed or forgotten. In the 
little accessories in the “latest shades” be sure you choose 
the shade that goes well with your other clothes and with 
your own coloring; and never wear too many colors at 


“DRESSING UP” 


87 


once even when they harmonize. Human rainbows are 
freakish and tiresome. 

So many people have to look at you every day, isn’t it 
part of your Christian living to make the picture pleasing 
and restful? “Line” has to do with the drawing of that 
picture. Whether in architecture or in the human figure 
there are certain proportions of length to width which are 
most satisfying to look at. Unfortunately, we are not all 
perfectly proportioned, but a house or a dress may he made 
to look wider or slimmer than it is by the way lines of 
structure or decoration are emphasized or concealed. So 
with curves. The eye likes long, graceful sweeps and is 
fatigued by constant interruptions. That is why, entirely 
aside from the question of modesty involved, too-thiri 
blouses are inartistic. Their own lines are interrupted 
and confused by cris-crosses of beading and ribbon and tape, 
and spots and circles of crocheting or embroidery. The 
long, graceful sweep from throat to hem is spoiled by too 
great emphasis of the under curve of the bosom, so a very 
flimsy blouse is unpleasing by its failure to carry out the 
unbroken lines of the profile as well as by showing the 
interrupting lines of the clothing beneath, and by its in¬ 
herent “sloppiness.” Too-tight skirts give the beholder a 
hampered feeling and allow the minor curves of the body 
to become inartistically prominent. 

Do you study “lines” when you do your hair or do 
you copy “the way the other girls are wearing it”? Well, 
how are the other girls wearing their chins and noses this 
season? True, some faces can bear any hair arrangement, 
but it isn’t safe to flatter yourself. It isn’t necessary to 
wear one style of coiffure forever and ever, either. But 
before you appear in public with a new method take your 
hand mirror and look at your whole head and face from 
every angle, as a stranger would. No matter how pretty 
that psyche-knot is, considered by itself, does it make the 
line from the tip of the knot to the tip of your long nose 
or long chin the most emphatic one in the picture? Do 
you twist and braid your heavy hair to keep it smooth and 
tidy, until a casual observer wonders how you shut your 
eyes, and your glasses are as prominent as bow windows 


88 


GOOD TIMES FOR GIRLS 


without curtains? Fluff and soften your hair around your 
face. If your ears protrude or are set too high, you will 
welcome one of the various styles that conceal them; 
but if your hair is thin, don’t use it all to cover your ears 
and leave the back of your head looking flat and desolate. 
It is worth while for the sake of your family or school¬ 
mates or employer to find someone who has an eye for 
artistic hair-dressing to teach you a becoming way to 
arrange it. 

The same principle applies in the selection of hats. A 
hat isn’t just a hat-by-itself; it’s a part of a picture, and 
the other parts are the lines of your face, of your hair, of 
your shoulders and collar. Collar lines are very important. 
Some girls can’t wear a Dutch collar, and they are “in 
Dutch” if they try, while the bottle-shouldered girl 
shouldn’t try to wear the collars that are designed for the 
one whose shoulders are square. 

Texture is important partly for the lines it will produce, 
but more for the law of suitability for purpose. Some 
textures suggest warmth; others, durability; others, rich 
elegance, clean washableness, crisp coolness; and so on. 
The women of wealth who get horrified at such items in 
the stenographer’s working costume as transparent geor¬ 
gette blouses, equally transparent silk hose with jewel- 
buckled slippers, etc., are usually quite correct in feeling 
that good taste is outraged; they are, however, wrong 
about the reason they assign. It is not that these are too 
expensive for the “poor working girl” to spend her money 
for. The simple and correct garb they recommend costs 
more. But play is most truly play when work is forgotten; 
and if play clothes are worn to work, that much of the 
play part of one’s personality is tired out during working 
hours. Work textures are durable, shapely, and readily 
cleaned. They suggest self-restraint, freedom, and comfort 
without negligence. Leisure textures may be playful, fairy¬ 
like, flowerlike, or stately and formal, or dreamily clinging, 
or plainly equal to the rough-and-tumble of strenuous out¬ 
door games. So leisure textures have to be chosen to fit 
the occupation of the particular leisure hour. No one 
would choose to wear frilly pink chiffon to church, or tail- 


“DRESSING UP” 


89 


ored tweeds at one’s graduation, or spangled net to visit the 
sick, or bloomers and middy to office. But there are lesser 
mix-ups and inappropriatenesses of which girls are guilty 
every day. Now, realizing that something is wrong about 
one’s clothes, without knowing what it is clearly enough 
to make it right, spoils the pleasure of many an otherwise 
“perfectly lovely” time. 

2. Applying the principles to special occasions.— 

(a) Dressing for the frolic .—Something that cannot be 
spoiled but will remain looking sufficiently tidy for the 
homeward journey on sidewalk or street car is the general 
requirement. For any active frolic no one should he in 
danger of tearing a filmy blouse or soiling a silk dress. 
For a girls’ gymnasium party nothing is better than the 
regulation bloomers and middy blouse, with a trim skirt 
to be donned for the street. In summer one-piece dresses 
of firm gingham or percale are good. At hikes, shore 
dinners, and all frolics to which boys are invited the serge 
or khaki or gingham one-piece dress or a stout skirt and 
blouse of nontransparent material are good. White has the 
advantage that it can be boiled, and that fruit and grass 
stains can be taken out without injuring the cloth. For 
any jollification involving active moving about or much 
walking the stockings should be firm, and the shoes of 
sturdy street cut. “Regular girls” soon come to laugh out 
of use at such parties both thin, “runnery” silk stockings 
and pumps or high-heeled shoes. 

(b) Dressing for the general social .—Employed boys and 
girls frequently have to go direct from work, with a restau¬ 
rant supper in between. Those who are in school or at 
home will have a chance to dress as they like, but there 
should not be wide enough differences in costumes among 
those present to make any person or group uncomfortable 
by contrast. Otherwise, they will stay away next time. 
Hence, a safe rule is to wear nothing too “fussy” or elab¬ 
orate for a church service and nothing less tidy than if 
one were applying for a new job. According to the sea¬ 
son and the nature of her work a girl may wear to busi¬ 
ness her “Sunday” suit and a fresh blouse, an inconspicu¬ 
ous dark silk dress, a simple, fresh gingham or voile, or a 


90 


GOOD TIMES FOR GIRLS 


tailored white skirt and blouse; or she may carry with her 
a fresh blouse or a simple silk or voile frock to slip on in 
the dressing room as she leaves her work, or fresh frills 
for her dark serge or jersey frock. If she can go home 
to get ready, a white or light-colored dress of launderable 
material is in good taste for almost any season of the year. 

(c) Dressing for the formal party. —Isn’t it fun to get 
an invitation to an affair to which you are expected to wear 
the prettiest frock you have? And if you know there will 
be enough such occasions so you are justified in having a 
new party frock, what joy! But what are you going to get? 
A girl who really thinks about her clothes to make them 
fit in with the Christian purpose of her life is in no danger 
of being “vain and silly and thinking only about her 
clothes.” And an extremely important factor in the influ¬ 
ence we have on each other is the honor we do the others 
in “dressing up” for their pleasure. 

Evening dress for young girls and for mature women is 
different. Except for the very dark shades adopted by some 
of the older women the difference is not so much in color 
as in line and texture. Girls wear the crisp muslins and 
tissues and organdies and simple silks that suggest fresh 
flower petals or flashing wings and that “stand out” in 
ways becoming to slim, young figures. Women wear vel¬ 
vets and the heavier, richer silks that make one think 
of ripe fruit rather than of flowers, or the heavy or clinging 
materials adapted to rounder lines and heavier, slower 
motions. The “sparkle” in the girls’ eyes is enough; if 
they know what is expected, they will leave jewelry and 
iridescent sequins to those whose years need their aid. 

One delightful thing about being a girl in her teens is 
that if she has taste, her evening dress need cost very 
little. A white or delicately tinted sheer muslin or voile, 
with perky ruffles in the round neck and brief sleeves, a 
ribbon knotted around the waist, and a string of homemade 
beads that match the ribbon, white hose and slippers if 
one can have only one pair—and she is well-dressed 
enough to forget herself and be a charming hostess or 
guest. Girls who live in smoky cities must forego some 
delicate colors which dwejlerp jn cleaner communities ma^ 


“DRESSING UP” 


91 


enjoy; but the easily laundered white will be more festive 
at a dress-up affair than a soiled chiffon would be. 

The reason it is always bad form to be too elaborately 
or too conspicuously dressed is that one goes to contribute 
the most pleasure possible to everyone else present, not 
to show off her possessions or to monopolize attention. So 
a girl who wishes to make the evening count for pleasure 
that will leave no sting or discomfort in it for anybody 
can decide various details for herself with perfect com¬ 
petence. In making the picture that others will see what 
does she want it to emphasize? Are the lines of the cut¬ 
away neck of the dress to form a soft frame that will 
bring out every pleasing feature of the face, or will they 
draw the observer’s attention away from the face to the 
body? The body may be very lovely in its soft curves and 
white skin. In that case the emotional effect on others 
is an instinctive desire to touch, to possess,—much like the 
irresistible impulse to squeeze a baby’s dimpled foot or 
kiss under the short curl in the back of its neck. There 
is nothing evil in this emotion, but a boy has enough to do 
at this time in his life just to grow up and be an efficient, 
straightforward man to make it unfair to arouse the 
beginnings of those tremendously disturbing and absorbing 
emotions—his mate-choosing and homemaking affections. 
A girl who has the character to grow into a true woman 
would rather emphasize the fact that she is entertaining 
and interesting as an intelligent and fun-loving human be¬ 
ing with other human beings than to draw particular atten¬ 
tion to her body. She wants it to be strong and beautiful 
but to have only its proper share of attention. Of course, 
one gives no real pleasure, though she may afford amuse¬ 
ment, when her frock calls attention away from an ani¬ 
mated and expressive face to collar bones or vertebrae, or, 
perhaps, simply causes speculation as to how it stays on. 
So with the length and width of the skirt. The inviolable 
law is not how many inches around or how many inches 
from the floor “they” are wearing them; but with the 
number of your shoe and the size of your hips and ankles, 
what length and fullness will give a total impression of 
ease and grace and beauty. 


92 


GOOD TIMES FOR GIRLS 


Some girls simply have no “sense of dress” and cannot 
tell when things are unbecoming—or, if they know it, can¬ 
not discover the reasons. It is a real service for the girl 
who has this special ability to learn how to he tactful 
enough to help the other out of her clothes difficulties. 
Heedless girls may be trained by the rest of the crowd to 
look at the total effect and not merely to stop with the 
front view in a short mirror. If a few girls have both 
artistic sense and qualities of leadership, they can soon 
set a standard that will make their crowd the best-dressed 
in the community, even if one or more of them has so 
few clothes she has to wash and iron her white-dotted 
“Swiss” after the Saturday-evening reception to wear to 
church next morning. 

About face tints and perfumes: If a girl is clean and 
well, she doesn’t need either; and if she is genuine, she 
will feel the hypocrisy and make-believe of the paint. The 
subject of perfumes is a complicated one. Some perfumes 
are displeasing to many persons. Some have a stimulating 
effect on a few people—much like catnip on pussy! The 
sense of smell was one of the first developed, and many 
animals depend on it more even than upon sight. Human 
beings do not depend so much on it consciously, but it has 
the strongest power to call up memories and ideas that 
have been unconsciously associated with a given odor. 
There are some perfumes so frequently used by a certain 
type of undesirable woman that many a man or woman 
has been startled to find thoughts of that type of person 
arising when talking to an innocent and charming young 
girl. Perhaps they realized that the perfume was the 
connecting link; perhaps they didn’t and wondered what 
she had in common with that disagreeable memory; or the 
disagreeable feeling attached itself to the girl without 
the part the perfume played ever becoming conscious. So 
if you “just love perfume,” choose one so dainty that people 
aren’t sure there is any! 

( d ) Dressing for the costume party or dramatized story. 
—In these costumes the main thing is to represent accu¬ 
rately the historic period or the country chosen. One 
seeks for a distinct effect in color, lines, and folds, and 


DRESSING UP” 


93 


for this purpose cheesecloth, paper-cambric, and cretonnes 
are as effective as georgette, taffeta, and velvet. 

A class or club may well begin to save up materials 
that can be used on short notice for a missionary playlet 
or a humorous stunt. Chinese and Japanese costumes may 
be accurately copied in figured calico, cretonne, silkaline, 
and cambric. If these are carefully shaken out and neatly 
folded instead of wadded in a heap they will save much 
money, time, and anxiety in the future and often make 
impromptu entertainments possible when something else 
has failed. 

Aside from the costumes of the missionary countries 
and the cocked hats, silver buckles, and other properties 
for the annual colonial party, the Civil War and 1830 peri¬ 
ods furnish attractive models for costumes. Some girls 
may be fortunate enough to find a real outfit in grand¬ 
mother’s attic. If this is too precious to lend it may be 
used as a model from which to copy the styles in cheap 
materials. It is hard to copy hoopskirts! So if any are 
to be found in attics, they may be catalogued for accessi¬ 
bility when needed. Most libraries will have on file old 
volumes of “Petersons” or “Godey’s Ladies’ Book,” which 
will give interesting and amusing suggestions. An inter¬ 
esting part of an entertainment may be furnished by dress¬ 
ing girls to represent (158) “American girls from 1620 
to 1920.” Each picture or illustrated panel may be posed 
by a girl in a costume chosen at intervals of ten or twenty- 
five years. 


INDEX 


Note. —Lightface figures refer to pages; boldface figures, to 
serial numbers of items. 


Acting advertisements, 17. 
Acting proverbs, 16. 

“American girls from 1620 to 
1920,” 168. 

Anagrams, 48. 

Anatomy, our, 46. 

Animated spelling match, 13. 
April-Fool party, 106. 

Art contest, 23. 

Art gallery, 21. 

Athletic stunts. See Stunts. 
Auction, 10. 

Autographs, 2. 

Automobile, 134. 

“Bacon bats,” 146. 

Balance trick, 169. 

Banquets: daddies-and-daugh- 
ters, 160; interdepartment, 
161; mother-and-daughter, 
149; decorations for, 166. 
Bear dance, 68. 

Beverages, 138. 

Bible stories, 98. 

Book review, 36. 

Boots without shoes, 67. 

Cable by code, 42. 

Cakes, 139. 

Calendar of parties, 11-12. 
Cat-and-dog party, 112. 
Chafing-dish parties, 144. 
Chair creeper, 66. 
Characterizations, 40. 
Charades, 14. 

Children’s party, 108. 
Christmas party, 121. 

Circle games, 19. 

Colonial party, 106. 


Comfort powders, 127. 

Common-sense social, 103. 

Conundrum salad, 166. 

Conundrums, 167. 

Consequences, 41. 

Cooperative art, 37. 

Cooperative elocution, 86. 

Cooperative poetry, 38. 

Corkscrew, 70. 

Corn party, 117. 

Costume party, dressing for, 
92-93. 

Country merry-making, 107. 

Crane dive, 60. 

Crossed or uncrossed, 62. 

Decorations, 80-84; of assem¬ 
bly room, 152; for informal 
frolics, 164; for table, 165. 

Doctor and his little white 
pills, The, 77. 

Dramatics: dressing for, 92-93; 
impromptu, 84; dramatized 
stories, 97. 

Dress materials (game), 47. 

Dressing up, 85-93; principles, 
85-89; principles applied, 
89-93. 

Dumb crambo, 16. 

Easter-millinery display, 120. 

Easter party, 118. 

“Egg hunt,” 119. 

Entertainments requiring prep¬ 
aration, 45-49; 112, 132, 
168. 

Film production, 87. 

Finding partners, 15. 

Fish-hawk dive, 62. 


94 


INDEX 


95 


Floral love story, 35. 

“Fool young ’uns,” 80. 

Formal party, 9—10; dressing 
for, 90; entertainments suit¬ 
able for, 1-2, 9, 11-12, 21- 
23, 26-27, 34-36, 38-10, 
42-43, 45, 47-48, 51, 76,106, 
118, 120, 149-51, 153, 156- 
57. 

Frolics, 9: dressing for, 89; 
games suitable for (girls 
alone), 14, 19-20, 24, 30-33, 
37, 41, 44, 60-66, 59-75, 
85, 89, 92, 106, 108, 109, 

114- 16, 121, 126-26, 142- 
44, 147-48; games suitable 
for (boys and girls), 13-15, 
24-25, 27-29, 31-33, 37, 
49-52, 56-60, 62, 77, 79-80, 
85, 87-88, 90, 92, 107, 109, 

115- 17, 119, 121, 123-24, 
130-31, 133, 135, 141-46. 

Fruits (as refreshments), 141. 

Full squat, 63. 

Games: moving about, 17; 
pencil, 24-31; sitting-down, 
21; suitable for ages twelve 
to fourteen, 3, 6, 8-9, 11-12, 
14-15, 19, 25(b)-28, 30-33, 
37, 40-41, 46, 48-50, 52-76, 
77, 81-82, 84, 88-89, 91-92, 
94, 98-100, 104, 109, 115, 
117, 119, 122-25, 127; suit¬ 
able for ages fifteen to seven¬ 
teen, 1-6, 8-17, 20, 22-32, 
34, 38, 40-44, 47, 49, 62-95, 
97-100, 106-106, 113-116, 
117-120, 122-125, 127-136, 
153, 158; suitable for ages 
eighteen to twenty-four, 1-6, 
8-10, 12-13, 16-18, 20-32, 
34-36, 38-45, 47, 49, 51, 
53-55, 57-83, 86-88, 90-91, 
93-108,110-26,127-36,153, 
168. 

General social, 9: dressing for, 
89; games and entertain¬ 
ments suitable for, 1-18, 21- 
23, 25-35, 39-43, 45-47, 


49-63, 56-68, 76-94, 103- 
107, 110-14, 119-120, 122, 
125, 128,130, 157, 

Getting acquainted, 13. 

Going to Chicago, 33. 

Gossip, 30. 

Handkerchief fortune, 55. 
Heel knock, 69. 

Human ukuleles, 89. 
Hypnotism, 90. 

Illustrated autobiography, 44. 
Illustrated readings, 100. 
Imitations, 83. 

Introductions, circular, 3. 

“It,” 32. 

Jonah, story of, 78. 

Jump foot, 72. 

Jump stick, 74. 

Kaleidoscope story, 25. 

Kind of party, 9. 

Kingdoms, 31. 

Kitchen collation, 148. 

Knee dip, 61. 

Laughter, producers of, 20, 25, 

27-30, 37, 41, 63-56, 69-75, 
77-83, 86-94. 

Letters and pictures for hos¬ 
pitals, 125. 

Library party, 111. 

Lightning artist, 91. 

Magazine, living, 96. 
Magazines, our friends the, 45. 
Magic questions, 60. 

Making things, 123. 

Matching devices, 9. 

Meeting other guests, 14. 
Mesmerism, 66. 

Missionary stories, 99. 

Mixing a group, games for, 8 . 
Modeling class, 24. 

Models and exhibits, 124. 

Moon is round, the, 63. 
Mother-Goose party, 114. 


96 


INDEX 


Moving pictures, 86. 

Musical progress, 6. 

Musical romance, 34. 

Names, family, 7. 

Names, pairs of, 6. 

Ollapodrida, 26. 

Orator, 79. 

Orchestra, 88. 

Party: theme of 4; special 
kinds of 103, 106-106, 108, 
112, 114-115, 117-118, 128, 
144, 153. 

Penny for your thoughts, a, 

104. 

Perfumes, 92. 

Personals, 39. 

Peter Newell’s cartoons, 102. 
Planning the group, 10. 
Popcorn balls, 143. 

Post-card party, 128. 
Postman, 11. 

Pot-luck supper, 147. 

Poverty party, 110. 
Predicaments, 27. 
Prescriptions, 28. 

Progressive cat, 113. 
Progressive conversation, 22. 

Rainbow reception, 153. 

Rare news, 82. 


Reception line, 1. 
Refreshments, 72-79: foreign, 
140; incidental, 72-75; as 
main feature, 75-79. 
Resemblances, 29. 

Taffy pull, altruistic, 142. 
Take-offs, 93. 

Talk, a chance to, 136. 

Talking tilt, 92. 

Tangled web, 12. 

Theme of party, 11. 

Thought waves, 61. 

Through stick, 64. 

“Tommy Tom,” 64. 

Top, the, 65. 

Train of thought, 116. 
Transfer fluid, 126. 

Travel party, 115. 

Tricks, 32-34. 

Ukuleles, human, 89. 

Upsetting exercises, 20. 

Valentine contest, 122. 
Vaporous story, 81. 

Vocational guidance, 18. 

Wax works, 95. 

“Who am I?” 4. 

Wicket walk, 67. 

Wiggles, 43. 





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